Dell acquisition history

Dell (through parent Denali/Dell Technologies) acquired data-storage and information-management giant EMC Corporation, together with EMC's controlling stake in VMware, in what was at the time the largest technology acquisition ever. Each EMC share was converted into $24.05 in cash plus 0.11146 of a share of a new Class V tracking stock (NYSE: DVMT) tracking Dell's economic interest in VMware. The combination created Dell Technologies, an end-to-end provider spanning PCs, servers, storage, networking, security and cloud software. ~$67 billion (approximately $58.7B total consideration transferred; ~$64.0B total purchase price allocated per the FY2017 10-K).

The combination of Dell and EMC creates the world's largest privately-controlled, integrated technology company, spanning personal computers to data-center infrastructure.Paraphrased from Dell Technologies' description of the EMC merger — FY2017 Form 10-K, Note 3 — Business Combinations

Dell acquired Perot Systems, a worldwide provider of information-technology services and business solutions founded by Ross Perot, via a $30.00-per-share all-cash tender offer valuing the company at about $3.9 billion. The deal roughly doubled Dell's enterprise-services footprint and became the foundation of Dell Services.

After a public bidding contest, Dell agreed to acquire Quest Software, a global provider of IT management software, for $28.00 per share, about $2.4-$2.5 billion. Quest broadened Dell's software portfolio across systems and database management, data protection, identity and access management, and Windows management.

The addition of Quest will enable Dell to deliver more competitive server, storage, networking and end-user computing solutions and services to customers.Dell executive commentary — Quest acquisition press release (Ex-99.1 to the July 2, 2012 Form 8-K)

Dell acquired EqualLogic, a maker of high-performance iSCSI storage-area-network systems designed for virtualization and ease of use, for approximately $1.4 billion in cash. It was Dell's largest acquisition to that point and a major step into enterprise storage.

Leading the iSCSI revolution will help Dell accelerate IT simplification and virtualization and drive the Dell value proposition into more areas of the enterprise storage business.Dell executive commentary — EqualLogic acquisition press release (Ex-99.1 to the November 8, 2007 Form 8-K)

Dell acquired Compellent Technologies, a provider of virtualized, automated-tiering storage for enterprise and cloud environments, at $27.75 per share (about $960 million equity value). Compellent's Fluid Data automated-tiering technology extended Dell's storage lineup upmarket after EqualLogic. (Approximate close date; the FY2012 10-K discloses only that it closed in Fiscal 2012.). ~$960 million (approximately $800 million net of cash; $27.75 per share).

Compellent's design focus on intelligently managing data to increase efficiency, agility and resiliency is consistent with Dell's approach of building solutions that can quickly scale to meet the most demanding enterprise environments.Dell executive commentary — Compellent acquisition press release (Ex-99.1 to the December 13, 2010 Form 8-K)

Dell acquired MessageOne, a provider of software-as-a-service email continuity, archiving and compliance, for about $164 million in cash plus roughly $10 million for management retention. It was the largest of Dell's Fiscal 2009 acquisitions and expanded Dell's on-demand services. (Approximate close date; the FY2009 10-K groups it among Fiscal 2009 acquisitions.). ~$164 million (plus ~$10 million retention).

Dell acquired ASAP Software, a provider of software-licensing services and software-asset management, for $353 million in cash, combining Dell's reach as a commercial technology supplier with ASAP's software-licensing expertise.

Dell acquired Zing Systems, a consumer technology and services company focused on connected audio/entertainment devices, to bolster Dell's connected-device and services capabilities. One of Dell's Fiscal 2008 acquisitions; individual value not disclosed.

Dell acquired Everdream, a provider of software-as-a-service remote-management and support tools, to strengthen Dell's remote IT-management and services offerings. One of Dell's Fiscal 2008 acquisitions; individual value not disclosed. (Approximate close date; disclosed as a Fiscal 2008 acquisition.)

Dell acquired SilverBack Technologies, whose platform enabled remote monitoring and management of IT infrastructure for small and mid-sized businesses through service providers. One of Dell's Fiscal 2008 acquisitions; individual value not disclosed. (Approximate date; disclosed only as a Fiscal 2008 acquisition.)

Dell acquired The Networked Storage Company, a UK-based storage consulting and services firm, to extend its storage services capabilities. Grouped among Dell's Fiscal 2009 acquisitions (with MessageOne and Allin), which together totaled about $197 million. (Approximate date; disclosed only as a Fiscal 2009 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Allin Corporation, a Microsoft-focused IT consulting firm, to expand Dell's services and consulting reach. One of Dell's three Fiscal 2009 acquisitions totaling about $197 million. (Approximate date; disclosed only as a Fiscal 2009 acquisition.)

Dell acquired KACE Networks, a systems-management appliance vendor targeting mid-sized organizations, for approximately $123 million. One of five Fiscal 2011 acquisitions (with Ocarina, Scalent, Boomi and InSite One) totaling about $413 million. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Q1 Fiscal 2011 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Ocarina Networks, a provider of data deduplication and content-aware compression across storage product lines, to improve storage efficiency across its portfolio. One of five Fiscal 2011 acquisitions totaling about $413 million. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Fiscal 2011 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Scalent Systems, a provider of scalable and efficient data-center infrastructure software, to strengthen its data-center automation and virtualization stack. One of five Fiscal 2011 acquisitions totaling about $413 million. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Fiscal 2011 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Boomi, a provider of on-demand (cloud) application-integration technology, to add integration platform-as-a-service capabilities to its software and services portfolio. One of five Fiscal 2011 acquisitions totaling about $413 million. (Dell later sold Boomi to Francisco Partners and TPG in 2021 — a divestiture, not counted here.)

Dell acquired InSite One, a provider of cloud-based medical data archiving, storage and disaster-recovery services for the healthcare industry, extending Dell's healthcare IT services. Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2011 acquisitions totaling about $413 million.

Dell acquired SecureWorks, a global provider of information-security and managed-security services, to build a security-services practice. One of the Fiscal 2012 acquisitions totaling about $2.7 billion. (Dell later took SecureWorks public in 2016 and it was sold to Sophos in 2025 — divestitures, not counted here.)

Dell acquired Force10 Networks, a provider of high-performance data-center networking (switching) solutions, to add its own networking layer to servers and storage. One of the Fiscal 2012 acquisitions totaling about $2.7 billion. (Approximate close date; disclosed as a Fiscal 2012 acquisition.)

Dell acquired SonicWALL, a provider of network security, secure remote access, email security and backup/recovery, to strengthen Dell's security portfolio. One of the larger Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Dell later divested SonicWALL as part of the Dell Software Group sale in 2016 — not counted here.)

Dell acquired Wyse Technology, a global provider of thin-client and cloud-client computing hardware and software, to extend its desktop-virtualization offerings. One of the larger Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Approximate close date; disclosed as a Q2 Fiscal 2013 acquisition.)

Dell acquired AppAssure Software, a provider of backup, replication and recovery software for virtual, physical and cloud environments, to bolster its data-protection software. Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Approximate close date; disclosed as a Q1 Fiscal 2013 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Clerity Solutions, a provider of application-modernization and re-hosting software and services for legacy workloads, to expand Dell Services. Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Q1 Fiscal 2013 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Make Technologies, a provider of application-modernization software and services that migrate legacy applications to modern platforms, expanding Dell Services' modernization practice. Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Q2 Fiscal 2013 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Gale Technologies, a provider of infrastructure-automation software enabling self-service provisioning of on-premise and hybrid clouds, to advance Dell's converged-infrastructure and cloud automation. Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions. (Approximate date; disclosed as a Fiscal 2013 acquisition.)

Dell acquired Credant Technologies, a provider of data-protection and encryption software for endpoints, to strengthen Dell's data-security portfolio (later Dell Data Protection). Disclosed among Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions.