UNIT 4 Opens Hybrid Cloud Division, Buys Polish ERP Developer
December 7, 2010 Alex Woodie
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The Dutch software conglomerate UNIT4 recently unveiled its new hybrid cloud computing division, which will offer its IBM i-friendly CODA Financials stack and the Agresso ERP product line. UNIT 4 also announced the acquisition of Teta S.A., one of the largest developers of ERP and human resources software in Poland. UNIT4 says its new Hybrid Computing division will offer customers a choice of running applications in a mix of on-premise, private, and shared cloud applications. The new division will carry products owned by two other UNIT4 divisions, including the CODA Financials, which develops a best-in-class package of Java-based financials that is often deployed on IBM i, as well as the Agresso ERP line. Ton Dobbe, vice president of product management for UNIT4, says most clients, particularly medium-size to large organizations, prefer a hybrid approach to cloud computing. “They want some specific applications or functions to be delivered via a hosted or cloud service to give them flexibility in areas that may have unpredictable demand,” he states in a press release. UNIT4 says it has achieved ISO 27001 certification for its new Hybrid Computing Center. The $500 million company, which claims to be the second largest ERP developer in Europe (behind SAP) and the sixth-largest worldwide, also uses data centers owned by the U.K. firm Telecity. Last week, UNIT4 unveiled its Coda Cloud Rebel offering, which gives customers the choice between on-premise, hybrid, or hosted options. “We’re providing CFOs with the best of both worlds–a way to shed unnecessary hardware and technology costs, and a highly secure hosting environment,” UNIT4 CODA CEO Steve Pugh states in a press release. It’s uncertain if IBM i virtual environments are supported with Coda Cloud Rebel. The company also announced the acquisition of Teta, a publicly traded software company that UNIT4 says owns a good chunk of markets for ERP and HR software in Poland and Hungary. The acquisition nets UNIT4 three products, including Teta Constellation, Navireo, and Insert, and gives it a solid position for building a presence in Central and Eastern Europe, which UNIT4 says is growing faster than Western Europe. “We can help to maintain [Teta’s] market leading position through investment in new products and active engagement in consolidation,” states Chris Ouwinga, president and CEO of UNIT4. “As a division of UNIT4, we want to help it realize its growth strategy and are committed to supporting its customers and products in the future.” RELATED STORY UNIT4 CODA Touts Financial App on IBM i
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