Opsware Adds IT Process Automation With iConclude Acquisition

Opsware this week inked a $30 million deal to buy iConclude, a maker of software that automates the complicated processes that keep data centers running.

Opsware said the iConclude acquisition will give it an engine it can incorporate into its product suite to automate change management, compliance and process automation--all within a single IT management platform.As a result, Opsware said it will be able to deliver end-to-end process automation companies can use to carry out changes without any human intervention--from opening an initial trouble ticket to managing the configuration changes required to close that ticket.

In particular, the combined software product will give companies a practical way to put ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) processes into play in their organizations, Opsware said.

iConclude's process-automation software gives system administrators a graphical interface to map out processes required to run tasks in a data center. The iConclude software ties together ticketing, asset management, source control, monitoring and a host of operations software from a number of different vendors, including BMC, Hewlett-Packard and IBM Tivoli. That lets businesses tailor the software to their existing processes rather than having to reinvent their procedures to meet the requirements of the IT process automation software.

Opsware said it plans to absorb most of iConclude's employees into its organization when the acquisition closes.