IBM: Going the LTV Way?
November 30, 2009
I find it interesting when a large, highly regarded company keeps buying technology that it invented. I may be addled, but I recall that the Codd database was an employee of Big Blue when he cooked up the de facto standard for data management in organizations. IBM has gobbled up other data management systems, including Informix (remember that outfit), iPhrase (a repository vendor), and the many data management tools that flow from the IBM research labs. I can’t keep track of those, but I do remember that IBM nurtured Dr. Ramanathan Guha, who is now working data management magic at the Google.
What does IBM do? It, according to Reuters, bought Guardium. You can read the Reuters’ story “IBM to Buy Start Up Guardium for $225 Million” yourself. According to Reuters:
Guardium’s product enables companies to extend the use of corporate applications to customers, partners and providers while ensuring that the databases used by those applications are shielded.
This passage does not shine light in the dark corners of the deal.
Haaretz.com added this insight:
As to whether the company is really Israeli, the source said: “The technology is Israeli. The investors are Israeli, the management is partly Israeli and the entrepreneurs are Israeli. True they moved at the beginning to the United States and there are not now 50 to 60 employees in Herzliya Pituah and Ra’anana who will become rich. But that does not change the fact that it is an exit with an Israel component.”
Globes.com tossed in:
Guardium was founded in 2002 as a pin-off from Log-On, and since 2003 it has been based on Boston, Massachusetts, with only a small part of its activity being carried out in Israel. The company was founded by Amnon Keinan, formerly a vice president at Amdocs, and, Lior Tal, who, since leaving the company has gone on to found two other start-up companies in the information security field.
Can IBM manage another data management tool? What’s wrong with existing IBM data management tools and security components? In my opinion, another LTV. Security may sell but I keep wondering, “What’s the flaw in IBM’s present security software offerings?”
Stephen Arnold, November 30, 2009
I want to disclose to the ever vigilant Open World Leadership Center that I was not paid to compare IBM to LTV. I was paid in inner enjoyment.
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