Dell spends US$340m on Asap Software

PC maker Dell will spend around US$340 million, on a software asset-management company, in a bid to simplify dealings with its customers.

Asap Software is one of the leading software asset management (SAM) companies, with offices in the US and France. SAM is becoming increasingly important as legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley and pressure from organisations such as Microsoft and the Business Software Alliance puts increasing pressure on companies to maintain compliance.

The acquisition will "strengthen Dell's existing software business by integrating Asap's complementary expertise in managing software licensing, purchasing, renewals, and compliance", Dell said. Dell said it anticipated closing the deal in the third quarter of this financial year.

According to David Marmonti, president of Dell EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), the acquisition will mean that Dell customers "will have one of the world's leading software-solutions providers as a single point of expertise and accountability for software licensing, compliance, renewal and asset management".

Asap's subsidiary, License Technologies Group, specialises in licensing and e-commerce services for software publishers and their partners.

Colin Barker reported for ZDNet UK from London