GlassHouse smashes through UK virtualisation ceiling

UK virtualisation reseller SGI sells up to US-based rival GlassHouse

GlassHouse said the acquisition comes amid rising demand for server, desktop and storage virtualisation services

US-based infrastructure consultancy GlassHouse Technologies has grabbed UK VAR Systems Group Integration (SGI) to bulk out its virtualisation skills.

Surrey-based product and services supplier SGI holds accreditations with the likes of Microsoft, Dell, Novell, Citrix, VMware and PlateSpin.

GlassHouse, which bills itself as a datacentre infrastructure consulting services firm, said the acquisition comes amid rising demand for server, desktop and storage virtualisation services.

That is a view backed by Gartner, which recently forecast that the EMEA virtualisation software market will grow 55 per cent to €512m (£467m) this year. The UK is the largest market in EMEA and is set to be worth about €104m this year, the research house claimed.

Mark Shirman, chief executive at Massachusetts-based GlassHouse, said: “GlassHouse has been operating in the virtualisation space for a number of years now, and has seen an increase in the large-scale datacentre projects leveraging virtualisation to create a greener and more efficient environment.

“SGI brings experience and IP to GlassHouse that broadens existing capabilities ensures that customers are implementing the right virtualisation strategy with a measurable return on investment for their particular business needs.”

GlassHouse, which was founded in 2001 and has its EMEA headquarters in Weybridge, said the deal would deepen vendor relationships with the likes of Dell, but stressed that it remains “completely vendor independent”.

Tony Lock, programme director at analyst Freeform Dynamics, said: ''Virtualisation is maturing beyond the testing and trial phase and is now addressing more areas in the datacentre. It is clearly gaining momentum in enterprise-level companies as businesses are recognising the benefits it brings. "