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EMC and Acxiom Ink Grid Computing Deal: Page 2 of 2

Acxiom currently uses the grid system to provide its information management and data analysis services on a hosted basis. Under a development project expected to take two years, EMC and Acxiom will "productize" the grid software so that Acxiom customers can deploy it, combined with EMC software and Acxiom's data integration and analysis applications, within their own data centers.

EMC, meanwhile, will use the grid technology to advance the capabilities of its own products which it will offer to customers for such applications as risk analysis, manufacturing and product design, and drug development – applications generally outside of Acxiom's target markets, Baird says. He declined to provide details for competitive reasons, but hinted the grid technology could be used with EMC's virtualization and content management software, as well as the infrastructure, application, and business services management software EMC acquired when it bought Smarts Inc. in late 2004 for $260 million. Baird also declined to disclose the potential value of the sales of such combined products.

In the deal EMC acquires all the Acxiom grid software source code and intellectual property, but Acxiom retains rights to continuing using the technology. The move provides Acxiom with a way to recoup its development investment.