Dell completes Compellent acquisition

Dell (NASDAQ: Dell) has completed its acquisition of Compellent Technologies (NYSE: CML).

Compellent shareholders approved the acquisition at a special shareholder meeting yesterday.

The Compellent acquisition is Dell’s latest strategic investment to expand its enterprise storage portfolio which includes EqualLogic and PowerVault. Compellent ‘Fluid Data’ architecture provides block-level intelligence to automatically place data on the right storage tier to optimise performance and maximise cost savings.

Dell says it plans to leverage Compellent’s channel offerings to create the ‘leading storage programme in the industry, through its partners and new initiatives’. It aims to combine ‘the best of both companies’ channel deal registration programmes, extend a new deal registration programme to all partners, and introduce a programme in which partners can grow customer relationships once they have sold a Dell storage solution.

Mike Kelson, technical director at Compellent reseller Atlanta Technology has labelled the acquisition “one of biggest opportunities of the decade.” He says: “Dell buying Compellent is the biggest endorsement of Fluid Data storage, a technology that enterprise customers are crying out for.”

He adds: “As a result, the challenge of selling this storage has just become a much easier proposition, as the wider market opens up and begins to adopt this technology. Companies like Atlanta...are likely to win a lot more deals, now that Fluid Data is confirmed as the strategy of choice for enterprises.”

Dell also announced an expanded Dell Storage Forum 2011, which will now include Compellent solutions and channel partners. Previously known as the EqualLogic User Conference and Compellent C-Drive, the combined conference will offer keynotes and training on the Dell storage portfolio and will include a channel partner-specific track to provide partners information and resources needed to quickly add new Dell storage solutions to their portfolio.

Under terms of the agreement, Dell paid a total equity value of approximately $940m, and aggregate purchase price of approximately $800m, net of Compellent’s cash.