Seagate Software

Seagate Software, Inc. was an international software company formed through the combination of Seagate Technology's software assets and Arcada Software. The transaction brought together businesses focused on network management, storage management, and information-management software under the Seagate Software name. Kevin Azzouz, who had been chief executive officer of Arcada, was elected president by the Seagate board after the combination. The company operated during a period when enterprise customers were increasingly seeking software to manage growing networks, protect and administer stored data, and turn corporate information into usable reports and business intelligence. Its activities were organized around at least two principal areas: a Network and Storage Management group and an Information Management Group. The former covered software associated with administering networks and storage environments, while the latter became the basis for a later corporate and product identity under the name Crystal Decisions. Seagate Software's independent business was relatively short-lived. In 1999, it sold its Network and Storage Management group to Veritas Software in a transaction reported at approximately $1.6 billion. The sale transferred a major portion of Seagate Software's operational portfolio to Veritas while Seagate retained its Information Management Group. That retained business was subsequently rebranded as Crystal Decisions, marking a shift away from the broader Seagate Software identity toward a specialized information-management company. The relationship with Veritas continued after the 1999 asset sale. On March 29, 2000, Seagate announced that it would sell all of its remaining shares in Veritas Software to Veritas. Completion of that transaction was announced on November 22, 2000. These transactions effectively dismantled the Seagate Software structure: its network and storage-management operations had moved to Veritas, and its remaining information-management activities had developed into Crystal Decisions. As a result, Seagate Software is best understood as a historical software company and transitional corporate platform rather than an active standalone brand.

Seagate Software was established when Seagate Technology combined its software assets with those of Arcada Software. The resulting company was structured as an international software business with activities spanning network management, storage management, and information management. Kevin Azzouz, Arcada's chief executive, became president after being elected to that position by the Seagate board. The company reflected the enterprise-software market of the late 1990s, when organizations were deploying increasingly complex networks and accumulating larger volumes of digital data. Its Network and Storage Management group addressed administrative software needs associated with those environments. Its Information Management Group represented a separate business focused on managing and using organizational information. The two groups gave Seagate Software a broad enterprise-software profile, but they did not remain together for long. In 1999, Seagate Software sold the Network and Storage Management group to Veritas Software. The transaction was reported as being worth $1.6 billion. This divestiture transferred a central portion of Seagate Software's business to Veritas while leaving the Information Management Group within the Seagate organization. The retained group was later rebranded as Crystal Decisions, creating a new identity for the information-management business and reducing the practical importance of the Seagate Software name. Seagate Software also held shares in Veritas Software after the 1999 transaction. On March 29, 2000, it announced an agreement to sell all of its remaining Veritas shares to Veritas. The completion of that sale was announced on November 22, 2000. Together, the sale of the Network and Storage Management group and the later disposal of the remaining Veritas shares marked the end of Seagate Software as a meaningful standalone operating platform. Its business legacy continued through the transferred management-software operations and the information-management activities that became Crystal Decisions.

• 2000

  Information Management Group rebranded as Crystal Decisions

  [1]Seagate Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  The retained Information Management Group adopts the Crystal Decisions name.

• 2000

  Remaining Veritas shares sold

  [1]Seagate Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Seagate announces the sale of all remaining Veritas Software shares on March 29, with completion announced on November 22.

• 1999

  Network and Storage Management group sold to Veritas

  [1]Seagate Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Seagate Software sells its Network and Storage Management group to Veritas Software in a transaction reported at approximately $1.6 billion.

• Seagate Software is formed

  [1]Seagate Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Seagate Technology combines its software assets with those of Arcada Software to create Seagate Software, with Kevin Azzouz becoming president.

Enterprise software provider serving network, storage, and information-management needs.

• Enterprise infrastructure software

  Network and Storage Management

  This was one of Seagate Software's principal business groups. It comprised software activities related to managing enterprise networks and storage environments. The group was sold to Veritas Software in 1999, removing a major part of Seagate Software's original operating portfolio.

• Information management software

  Information Management Group

  The Information Management Group was the principal business retained by Seagate Software after the 1999 sale to Veritas. It was later rebranded as Crystal Decisions, giving the business a distinct identity focused on information-management software.

• 2000

  Sale of remaining Veritas Software sharesM&A

  Background

  After selling its Network and Storage Management group, Seagate Software continued to hold shares in Veritas Software.

  Action taken

  Seagate announced on March 29 that it would sell all of its remaining Veritas Software shares to Veritas.

  Aftermath

  Completion of the transaction was announced on November 22, 2000.

  Source

• 1999

  Divestiture of Network and Storage Management groupM&A

  Background

  Seagate Software reorganized its portfolio by selling its Network and Storage Management group to Veritas Software.

  Action taken

  The group was transferred to Veritas Software in a deal reported at approximately $1.6 billion.

  Aftermath

  Seagate retained its Information Management Group, which was later rebranded as Crystal Decisions.

  Reported transaction value. $1.6 billion (1999)

  Source

1. 1Seagate Softwareen.wikipedia.org