HP snaps up real-time data management provider Vertica

Hewlett-Packard announced today that it will acquire Vertica, a provider of analytics and data management software, for an undisclosed sum.

Vertica develops software that’s used to index and call up information on databases with massive amounts of data. The software works on both in-house servers and cloud infrastructures — meaning the data is stored on remote servers and accessed through the Internet. The company also provides its clients with a set of analytics tools to find problems in the storage systems and quickly address them.

The data management company serves as a nice complement to HP’s other recent acquisition, cloud storage provider 3Par. HP has been ramping up its cloud storage services to stay competitive with the likes of Amazon and Salesforce, which are rapidly becoming more popular because they offer cheap alternatives to companies that would otherwise have to buy and manage large servers in house.

It’s all part of HP’s strategy to hold its own in the enterprise space. Oracle hasn’t kept secret that it wants to take down HP and claim its number two spot in the server manufacturing business. Oracle and HP have a bit of a catty history — HP chief executive Mark Hurd joined the database manufacturer after a public scandal forced him to step down from his top spot at HP. But Oracle has made it clear that it wants to focus on in-house databases and servers for large gobs of data — so there’s some wiggle room for HP if it offers cloud storage.

The deal with Vertica is expected to close in the second quarter this year. Billerica, Mass.-based Vertica has around 300 customers and has clients like Twitter, Aol and Groupon. Vertica has raised $30.5 million across two rounds of funding from investors like Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Highland Capital Partners.

HP also remains one of the largest manufacturers of computers and devices for typical consumers. The company announced a new lineup of smartphones running on Palm’s WebOS mobile operating system — the Pre 3 and HP Veer — and a WebOS tablet computer — the HP TouchPad.

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