Dell continues software expansion with StatSoft acquisition

Dell has added another company to its growing software portfolio with the acquisition of predictive analytics company, StatSoft, for an undisclosed amount.

StatSoft sells analytics, database management and integration software. Terms of the acquisition were not detailed.

StatSoft's products provide data mining and analytics capabilities -- such as identifying trends via social networks -- designed to help companies grow and better make sense of structured and unstructured data across server and cloud resources. The company's primary offering is Statistica, which uses statistics and algorithms for data analysis and predictions.

Dell said that the StatSoft software will be packaged along with Dell x86 servers.

Dell is primarily is a hardware company, but with margins in x86 servers and PCs dwindling, has turned its focus to software over the last three years. The company acquired a range of software companies including Quest Software, Wyse, Boomi, AppAssure, SonicWall, Clerity and Make.

Dell has had trouble integrating into its core operations companies like Wyse, which continues to sell its cloud hardware and software while being largely disconnected from Dell's other units.

Dell already sells the Kitenga analytics software, which is part of the Quest Software unit. StatSoft's products can work in conjunction with the Kitenga offering, and add features like natural language processing to data analysis, said Matt Wolken, vice president and general manager of information management at Dell, in a blog entry about the acquisition.

Third-party software is also being packaged in Dell servers, and StatSoft tools will work with SAP's Hana and databases from Oracle and Microsoft, Wolken said.

Some of StatSoft's customers include Pepsi, Lenovo and Schlumberger.

Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's e-mail address is agam_shah@idg.com