Dell Acquires Cloud Computing Integration Tool Provider Boomi

Dell has announced plans to acquire Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) integration tools provider Boomi, adding some weight to the PC maker’s efforts to become an infrastructure and cloud company.

Based in Berwyn, Pa., Boomi offers AtomSphere, technology that enables administrators to integrate applications by allowing transfer of data between cloud-based and on-premise applications with no appliances, software or coding required.

Boomi technology has been used with cloud applications such as Salesforce.com CRM as well as marketing, financial, human resources, content management and service-desk management cloud-based applications, according to Dell.

“For years, Dell has been working directly with our customers and SaaS leaders to understand the value cloud computing can bring and the issues customers face when contemplating this paradigm shift,” said Steve Felice, president, Dell Consumer, Small and Medium Business, in a statement. “Twenty-six years ago we helped accelerate the move to client-server computing; today we’ll help drive a similar transformation with customers turning to the cloud to drive costs down and innovation up.”

Boomi works both directly with customers and through a network of channel providers. Boomi’s Lou Chappuie, vice president of partner programs for the company, wrote a post for the Boomi corporate blog in August 2010 about the continuing importance of the channel to Boomi, even as Boomi strives to simplify the cloud by enabling plug and play ease-of-use in creating hybrid clouds.

“Many analysts and bloggers have argued that the self service nature of cloud solutions will ultimately eliminate the need for channel resellers and systems integrators,” he wrote. “However compelling this thinking is, Boomi proves the fallacy of this myth every day. The full potential of cloud solution providers (typified by flexible distribution, quick time to value, responsiveness, and organizational scalability) is only enhanced when those SaaS companies team up with channel partners. When applied to the cloud, the traditional channel model is radically transformed – it’s played out on a global scale.”

“…Since the inception of AtomSphere, Boomi has embraced the channel and built a vibrant partner ecosystem to deliver integration from the Web anywhere in the world,” he wrote.

The terms of Dell’s acquisition of Boomi were not disclosed

“Dell gives us the global platform to continue to scale Boomi AtomSphere as the leading integration solution in the SaaS and cloud computing industry,” said Bob Moul, Boomi president and CEO, in a statement.