HP boosts data analytics with purchase of Vertica

HP has agreed to acquire Vertica, a US-based business data analytics firm, in a move designed to offer better data analysis and management platforms.

Particularly, HP hopes that the acquisition will help to flesh out a line of analytics tools for large archives in virtualised, cloud and on-premise storage platforms.

"In today's highly competitive environment, customers need the ability to manage the increasing amounts of data and growing streams of information with more flexible and more dynamic architectures," said Shane Robison, executive vice president and chief strategy and technology officer at HP.

"Vertica's unique platform combines simplicity with industry-leading performance, allowing HP to leap ahead of the industry in the race to analyse massive amounts of data."

Forrester Research senior analyst James Kobielus said in a blog post that the deal could signal an effort by HP to rebuild its data warehousing brand in the aftermath of the ill-fated Neoview platform, and lead to improvements in HP's business intelligence and analytics services.

"It remains to be seen what that strategy is, inasmuch as new HP chief executive Léo Apotheker has not yet articulated a clear vision," he said.

"Perhaps he's playing close to the vest so as not to call attention to further acquisitions in adjacent segments, such as business intelligence and data integration."

HP plans to close the Vertica acquisition in its second financial quarter. Vertica is privately held, and terms of the deal were not disclosed.