IBM Acquires CSL International to Expand Cloud Capabilities

IBM (IBM) is set to acquire Israel-based CSL International, a virtualization management technology provider for the technology giant’s zEnterprise system technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

IBM said CSL International’s CSL-WAVE software will expand Big Blue’s consolidation and cloud capabilities through an offering with simplified management of the virtualization environment.

The software also provides companies with capabilities to monitor and manage their z/VM and Linux on System z environments, along with drag-and-drop features to create, discover, visualize and connect virtual servers to resources.

IBM System z Business Line Executive Greg Lotko said in his prepared remarks that customers are looking for ways to manage IT costs and complexity while strengthening security and the ability to scale.

“The response by clients to the advantages of Linux on System z have been tremendous, with the shipped capacity nearly doubling in the first quarter of 2013 year to year,” he said. “With the acquisition of CSL International, IBM expands its cloud virtualization capabilities, making it even easier for clients to take advantage of Linux on System z.”

According to IBM, the deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and applicable regulatory reviews.

CSL International was founded in 2004 and has provided a range of services in the zSeries and enterprise IT world.

IBM also recently acquired privately held cloud computing infrastructure provider SoftLayer in a deal Big Blue said will strengthen its leadership position in cloud computing and speed business adoption of public and private cloud.