Quest Software creates distribution channel strategy as stand-alone vendor

As #Quest Software forges its way as an independent company, one of the initial steps it has taken is to develop a distribution channel strategy. #Dell sold Quest last year as part of the #DellSoftware Group to private equity firm Francisco Partners and hedge fund manager Elliott Management. Quest, under new ownership, was established as a stand-alone company in November 2016, as was fellow Dell Software Group company #SonicWall. Since then, Quest has focused on growing its channel, with efforts that have included transitioning from a largely one-tier model of direct and indirect business to a two-tier model through partnerships with distributors.
http://searchitchannel.techtarget.com/news/450420030/Quest-Software-creates-distribution-channel-strategy-as-stand-alone-vendor

Former Dell Software Unit, One Identity, Launches Standalone Partner Program

#OneIdentity is launching its first partner program as a standalone brand. The company was sold to #FranciscoPartners and #ElliottManagement in November as part of a private equity buyout of #DellSoftware. One Identity, which offers identity and access management solutions, is a standalone business unit under #QuestSoftware, which had been part of Dell Software.  The new program, called the One Identity Partner Circle, is a global program with four tiers: registered, silver, gold and platinum. The tiers are broken down by revenue requirements. The program also includes MDF, rebates, training, and incentives for "influence fees" which recognizes partners who are not a reseller but still drive business to One Identity with revenue towards their quota cap. The program is largely based on the same framework as the Quest Software Partner Circle program. [Related: CRN Exclusive: SonicWall Names New CEO As It Closes Dell Spinout Deal] Josh Lewis, director of North American channels and alliances, said the new program is the latest step in a journey that One Identity has been on since its divestiture from Dell and its move towards its own brand. He said One Identity has always worked with partners, but it had been challenging to be part of a larger program under Dell as the company couldn't tailor its program and messaging to meet the types of partners it wants to work with. He said the new program would allow One Identity to focus on more strategic partners. "We're excited about this," Lewis said. "It's a big shift for us … We have been evolving our business. Identity and access management is very much a team sport and with the kind of large deals we go after, we really have to have the rights at the hip with us." Lewis said One Identity is looking to "go deep" with a smaller set of strategic partners, as the company's technology requires a high investment in training and certifications. He said One Identity already has a "robust list of partners" and will look to selectively recruit additional partners where it makes sense. The program builds on a bigger strategy at One Identity to focus on partners for its go to market strategy, Bill Evans, senior director marketing said. He said One Identity has seen a 29 percent year over year growth in partner revenue. As the company's product portfolio grows, Evans said One Identity plans to continue to make investments in partners to maintain its growth rate overall, which is around 70 percent year over year in new license growth. Tim Spires, president of Arlington, Texas-based EST Group, said his business has been partnering with One Identity for nearly five years. Spires said he is excited to see One Identity roll out its new partner program, expecting it will allow his business to sell more of the company's product, which he said is one of his businesses' top products. He highlighted the company's registration and rebate programs, as well as formal training and curriculum as key features of the new program. "There wasn't a really good partner strategy in place before. It was tough, but we wanted to stick with them because they had such a good product. Now that they have put the partner program in place, I know we will be even more successful with their product than in the past," Spires said.

http://m.crn.com/news/security/300084739/crn-exclusive-former-dell-software-unit-one-identity-launches-standalone-partner-program.htm?itc=hp_tax_security

Dell Technologies bets on growing demand for hybrid and multicloud solutions

In its first earnings results as a combined company, #DellTechnologies reported overall revenue of $16.2 billion for 3Q16, with its Infrastructure Solutions Group posting revenue of approximately $6 billion and its Client Solutions Group reaching revenue of $9.2 billion. Results include 52 days of #EMC and #VMware financials, but nonetheless provide an early glimpse into how the combined company will perform against other infrastructure-centric peers like Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( #HPE ). Dell Technologies stated three high-level corporate strategy goals on its earnings call, which center on its ability to deliver solutions that support complex hybrid IT and multicloud environments. First, Dell Technologies will use the strengths of both Dell and EMC to expand its market position in Client Solutions and IT infrastructure across on- and off-premises workloads. Second, the company will focus on expanding its place as a provider of IT infrastructure for cloud-native workloads, whether those are located on premises or off premises. Third, Dell Technologies will bring to market technologies that better unify and support customers’ hybrid IT applications and infrastructure. Though Dell Technologies continues to be in a state of transition following the formal sales of its #DellSoftwareGroup and #DellServices ( #Perot ) segment, the company has doubled down on its messaging, highlighting its now larger scale and more focused desire to provide customers with infrastructure offerings that span their traditional and cloud environments.

https://channellife.com.au/story/dell-technologies-bets-growing-demand-hybrid-and-multicloud-solutions/

Here's how much Dell netted from sales of software and services divisions

#DellTechnologies Inc. disclosed Friday selling its software and services divisions for a combined $5.41 billion. The software division operated by Round Rock-based #Dell completed the deal with California-based Francisco Partners and Elliot Management Corp. for $2.42 billion after announcing a definitive agreement in June without financial details — at the time, Reuters estimated the sale was for more than $2 billion. The deal includes Dell’s systems and information management, security solutions and Statistica businesses, according to a Nov. 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2016/11/07/heres-how-much-dell-netted-from-sales-of-software.html

Quest celebrates first day of independence from Dell with layoffs

Exclusive #Quest, the newly liberated #Dellsoftware division, rang in its first day as a standalone company by announcing a restructuring that included significant layoffs. The Register has now heard from multiple sources that Quest has pink-slipped employees, with top management staff shown the door and deep cuts made to marketing and sales. Among those said to be leaving are president John Swainson, as well as Tom Joyce, general manager of information management, and Curtis Hutcheson, general manager of the network security unit, plus the veep of marketing. We understand that axed staff were offered two months of severance plus one week for every year worked as well as help in finding new jobs. In an internal "Quest employees only" email, obtained by El Reg, newly installed chairman and CEO Jeff Hawn says the biz will look to make the cuts "fast and fair": As we are reconfiguring the company to go to market in new ways and increasing investments in a number of new areas, we will be reducing spending in other areas. As such, we are restructuring, and that will result in job losses. Chopped staff say their IT access credentials have already been revoked and many have already left their offices for good. A Quest spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. The shakeup comes as California-based Quest Software officially begins life outside of Dell. The management software house says it has 100,000 customers worldwide, and its products include database tool TOAD and One Identity. Quest was spun off from its parent Dell Software Group with the backing of investment firms Francisco Partners and Elliott Management for a rumored $2bn. Francisco has installed new bosses amid the layoffs. Here's the latest leadership line up: President, Identity and Security Management – John Milburn President, Information Management – Kathleen Owens President, Platform Management – Michael Tweddle President, Data Protection and Endpoint Management – Ronnie Wilson Chief Financial Officer – Carolyn McCarthy Chief Business Operations Officer – Katherine Tate General Counsel – Brad Haque Human Resources – Amy Nelson Sales, Americas – Larry Humphries Sales, EMEA – Ronnie Wilson Sales, APJ – Brenton Smith In his email to staff, Hawn added: While the large size of Quest provides terrific advantages for us to better serve our customers, the need for speed and focus is most important. As such, we will be reconfiguring the company into four business units that will provide an uninterrupted line of sight from the products, through sales, and services into the customer base. These four units will be Identity and Security Management, Information Management (including Performance Management & Advanced Analytics), Platform Management, and Data Protection and Endpoint Management. Each unit will be managed in a way that will be tailored to specific needs of its customers so that we capture the maximum number of market opportunities. Each business unit will be led by its own President & General Manager. To simplify doing business with our customers and for employees, we will establish a common operating model across the business including Finance, Legal, HR and Operations.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/01/quest_congrats_heres_a_pink_slip/

Francisco Partners and Elliott Management Complete Acquisition of Dell Software Group and Announce the Formation of Two Separate Companies – Quest and SonicWall

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Francisco Partners, a leading technology-focused private equity firm, and Elliott Management Corporation today announced they have completed the previously announced acquisition of the #DellSoftware Group from #Dell, Inc., including both #Quest and #SonicWall. The acquisition bolsters Francisco Partners and Elliott Management’s technology portfolios with the addition of two companies focused on systems and information management, identity and access management, and security solutions.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161101005604/en/Francisco-Partners-Elliott-Management-Complete-Acquisition-Dell

Dell/Quest Software plans layoffs and relocations – source

The deal restoring the independence of the entity formerly known as #DellSoftware is expected to close in early November, which is when The Register understands things are going to get very interesting for customers and staff alike. The new #QuestSoftware, as the former Dell Software will be known, comprises the assets of #SonicWall and pre-Dell Quest Software Persons familiar with the company's plans tell us that plans are in place for considerable redundancies and relocations not long after the deal closes. Development groups outside the USA, and possibly some within, are slated for relocation to lower-waged destinations. Some products will be discontinued, with the #Foglight application monitoring tools toward the top of the list. Our sources say current staff have been instructed to brief customers about new arrangements at the company, and that the message they're being asked to deliver runs counter to public statements by #ElliotManagement and Francisco Partners, the new owners of Dell Software. Elliot Management did not respond to The Register's request for comment. Francisco Partners said nobody was available to comment and did not take up our offer of an additional 24 hours to find someone to respond to our sources' allegations. A Dell Software spokesperson said the company does not comment on pending transactions, adding that the company is operating as usual. ®

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/18/dell_software_changes/

Dell Statistica Further Empowers Citizen Data Scientists With Collective Intelligence

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#DellSoftwareGroup today announced the next major release of its award-winning advanced analytics platform, #DellStatistica 13.2. The latest release of Statistica helps companies transform their businesses and achieve new levels of success by embedding analytics everywhere and empowering a wider community of users and use cases. Key features include new collective intelligence capabilities to enable native integration with open source and application marketplaces, a new user interface designed to mask complexity and simplify workflows for citizen data scientists, and the ability to distribute data preparation and analytic workflows to any edge device or gateway. As advanced analytics gain increased traction as the primary vehicle through which organizations drive innovation, predict customer behavior, and optimize business and manufacturing processes, Statistica continues to build momentum. Earlier this year, Dell was positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the "Leaders" quadrant of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Advanced Analytics Platforms (February 2016).1 More recently, Dresner Advisory Services named Statistica an overall leader in its 2016 Industry Excellence Awards. With release of version 13.2, Statistica continues that momentum and further moves advanced analytics into the mainstream by democratizing analytics for the masses. Leveraging analytic marketplaces with collective intelligence The latest release of Statistica leverages the power of the global analytics community through new collective intelligence capabilities that enable users to connect directly with analytics marketplaces, public datasets, and non-proprietary, standard scripting languages. To help address the global shortage of data scientists capable of building analytical models, a growing number of analytics experts are now sharing their models via online marketplaces and platforms. With Statistica 13.2, technical and non-technical users alike can now access via inbuilt nodes many of these pre-built models and integrate these into their existing Statistica workflow. This enables them to leverage a wider range of models without having to code and built them manually, while doing so within the validated and controlled framework Statistica provides. In addition to Statistica’s already robust support for R, with the latest release, users can now script in #Python, #C# and #VisualBasic. Online marketplaces accessible to Statistica 13.2 users include Apervita, a leading marketplace for healthcare analytics; Algorithmia, a fast-growing online analytics marketplace; and H20 Sparkling Water for #Spark on #Hadoop, an open source math and machine learning platform that enables users to access public datasets such as Amazon Public Data Sets. This compliments the #Azure ML node released in version 13.1, which enables users to push analytics to the cloud, and adds significant machine learning, deep learning, and big data capabilities to the platform. In addition, users can now lock and protect models as propriety IP, a capability developed in conjunction with Statistica’s OEM and Partner network, thus enabling those groups to publish models out to third parties themselves
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161004005014/en/Dell-Statistica-Empowers-Citizen-Data-Scientists-Collective

Dell Might Complete Acquisition of EMC Corp This Week [Report]

#Dell is on track to get approval from Chinese regulators and close its historically large acquisition of #EMC Corp ($EMC) by the end of this week, according to a story in the New York Post. Sources cited by the Post say Michael Dell spoke directly with Chinese regulators to help win approval of Dell's $63 billion purchase of EMC. That regulatory hurdle is the last thing standing in the way of the acquisition. Officially, Dell has said that the deal would close by October. But Dell and Silver Lake Partners have obtained debt financing and sold off several business entities faster than expected. EMC shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the deal in July. To accommodate the largest tech deal in history, Dell has raised $50 billion in debt. It also divested of #SecureWorks through an IPO and sold off #PerotSystems and #DellSoftware Group, which included #QuestSoftware and #SonicWall.
http://austininno.streetwise.co/2016/08/16/dell-gets-chinese-approval-to-acquire-emc-corp-deal-closing-this-week-report/

An overview of Dell's database performance management tools

#DellSoftware offers #Toad, whose name originally was an acronym for Tool for #Oracle Application Developers. Over time, Toad has grown to support multiple database management systems and consists of a suite of products for managing SQL and databases. Although the tool can be used to perform numerous tasks besides database performance management, this overview will highlight only its performance-focused capabilities.

http://searchdatamanagement.techtarget.com/feature/An-overview-of-Dells-database-performance-management-tools

Why is Dell really dropping its assets? To fund its EMC acquisition

#Dell is cutting its losses with its sale of @DellSoftware Group, according to a Technology Business Research white paper, titled 'Selling the Software Group makes strategic and financial sense for #Dell and its partners'.

The white paper details how @FranciscoPartners and @ElliottManagement are acquiring all #DellSoftware Group brands - Except #Boomi, for what TBR estimates to be between $3-4 billion.

Several years ago Dell acquired a range of assets for its portfolio, including #Quest Software, a transaction worth $2.4 billion in 2012. Now, however, Dell has decided to drop its Software Group assets. Dell has also relinquished control of @DellServices, which will be acquired by @NTTDATA.

http://technewsources.blogspot.com/2016/06/why-is-dell-really-dropping-its-assets.html?m=0

Dell Dumps Software Biz, Implications for Documentum?

@MichaelDell has made significant progress in raising the cash he needs to close on the long awaited acquisition of storage giant #EMC. 

Following its $20 billion sale of investment grade secured bonds in May, it sold off $3.25 billion worth of junk bonds earlier this month to help finance the deal. 

Monday, the company raised an estimated $2.2 billion more by selling its software business, #DellSoftware, to Francisco Partners and Elliott Management. 

The private equity firm and hedge fund receive database provider Quest, security company #SonicWall and advanced analytics provider #Statistica among potential others as their part of the bargain.

http://www.cmswire.com/information-management/dell-dumps-software-biz-implications-for-documentum/

Dell sold its software group but Boomi is staying put

Two San Francisco-based equity firms bought #Dell 's software arm yesterday.

But in the Philly tech scene, that meant one question popped to the fore: What’s going to happen to #Boomi ?

The Berwyn, Pa.-based SaaS company founded in 2000 by Rick Nucci was bought by Dell in 2010 for an undisclosed sum.

We reached out to Dell for official comment and here’s what we got:

“Dell is in fact retaining Boomi,” said spokesman David Frink. “[Boomi General Manager] Chris McNabb  remains in charge. We believe that Boomi’s technology offering aligns with our strategic vision.”

Bob Moul, the former CEO of Boomi who oversaw the 2010 acquisition, told Technical.ly via email that hanging on to the business was a good call.

“Given what I’ve heard about their revenues and SaaS multiples rising again, Boomi could be worth north of a half billion dollars on its own,” Moul, now the CEO of Cloudamize, said.

Comment from Boomi was not immediately available, though the company did tweet this:

https://technical.ly/philly/2016/06/21/boomi-dell-software-group-buyout/

Dell Chief Cheryl Cook: Partner-Program Plans Post EMC Acquisition

Keeping both #Dell and #EMC partners loyal as Dell moves ahead with its intended acquisition of EMC is tough. While it’s been public knowledge that Dell is selling off what the vendor has called non-core assets – Dell IT Services, #SonicWall and #Quest – to raise money for the hefty deal, $67 billion, Reuters on Monday reportedthat Dell is negotiating a deal to sell off its software division for more than $2 billion. [According to Reuters, Francisco Partners and hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. are in active talks with Dell.]

Perhaps foreshadowing things to come,Dell, this past March, made the curious move of appointing IT veteran Pete Koliopoulos, as vice president of global software channels and alliances at Dell Systems and Information Management (SIM) Group. At that time, an industry insider suggested that this move was a sign that putting SIM up for sale was likely to be in the cards. SIM is one of three areas – the other two are Security and Systems Management – that make up #DellSoftware Group.

http://www.channelpartnersonline.com/articles/2016/06/dell-channel-chief-steadying-the-channel.aspx

Dell software deal flexes Elliott's newly developed buyout muscle

@ElliottManagement Corp's deal to acquire #Dellsoftware assets shows how the U.S. hedge fund and prominent activist investor is stepping up its private equity practice, and positioning itself for more takeovers in the tech sector.

The more than $2 billion purchase, done with buyout firm Francisco Partners, is an offshoot of Elliott's campaign against storage company #EMC Corp (EMC.N), which agreed to be bought by Dell Inc last year for $67 billion. Dell shed the software assets because it deemed them non-core following the deal with EMC.

Unlike its previous offers to companies, where Elliott threatened to buy a business it was agitating against, this time the attempted leveraged buyout was not a target of Elliott. Elliott clinched the Dell software deal through Evergreen Coast Capital, a new tech-focused private equity wing housed inside the $28 billion hedge fund.

"The lines between activism and private equity have been blurring for a while now," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean at the Yale School of Management, referring to Evergreen. "This is a high profile and poignant demonstration of this."

Elliott is now the only major activist hedge fund boasting an in-house private equity team, ready to buy control of companies, streamline them, and sell them later for a premium. Activists, by contrast, mostly purchase minority stakes and push for major changes at a company, including putting it up for sale, often with a shorter time frame than a private equity investor.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z62O2

Exclusive: Francisco Partners, Elliott near Dell software deal - sources

(Reuters) - Buyout firm Francisco Partners and the private equity arm of activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp are in advanced talks to acquire #Dell Inc's software division for more than $2 billion, three people familiar with the matter said.

Divesting the software assets will help Dell refocus its technology portfolio and bolster its balance sheet after it agreed in October to buy data storage company E#MC Corp (EMC.N) for $67 billion. EMC owns a controlling stake in #VMware Inc (VMW.N), a cloud-based virtualization software company.

#Dell is seeking to sell almost all of its software assets, including #Quest Software, which helps with information technology management, as well as #SonicWall, an e-mail encryption and data security provider, the people said.

#Boomi, a smaller asset focusing on cloud-based software integration, will be retained by Dell, one of the people added.

An agreement between Dell and the consortium of Francisco Partners and Elliott could be reached as early as this week, the people said, cautioning that the negotiations could still end unsuccessfully.

The sources asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. Dell declined to comment, while Francisco Partners and Elliott did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z609F

Dell Reorganizes Software Group, Reduces Software Workforce

#Dell has quietly reorganized its software business into four new business units -- and no longer has a separate business unit for the company's data protection software, including its popular #AppAssure solution, Dell solution providers told CRN.

The reorganization, which occurred last month, also led to layoffs in Dell's data protection software team, solution providers said. An email from a former Dell employee, shown to CRN by a solution provider, said the entire field team for data protection software was laid off in October.

http://m.crn.com/news/applications-os/300078948/dell-reorganizes-software-group-reduces-software-workforce.htm