IBM starts 2012 with software testing firm acquisition

IBM Corp. has begun the new year with a new corporate purchase. 

The computer giant announced Jan. 4 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Green Hat, a provider in software quality and testing solutions for the cloud and other environments.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1996, Green Hat has headquarters in London, England, and Wilmington, Del.

The company helps customers improve the quality of software applications by enabling developers to leverage cloud computing technologies to conduct testing on a software application prior to its delivery, according to the IBM announcement.

Using Green Hat's solutions, a virtual test environment can be set up in a matter of minutes, rather than weeks, for a fraction of the cost.

Upon the close of the acquisition, Green Hat will join IBM's Rational Software business unit. Its software testing solutions also will be offered through IBM Global Business Services' Application Management Services.

When combined with the IBM Rational Solution for Collaborative Lifecycle Management, developers and testers can achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, effectiveness, and collaboration while delivering quality software to their business, the announcement said.

Big Blue ended 2011 with three big purchases: Cúram Software Ltd., of Dublin; DemandTec, a San Mateo, Calif.-based provider of cloud-based analytics software; and Emptoris Inc., a Burlington, Mass.-based provider of cloud and on-premise analytics software.

IBM Corp., of Armonk, N.Y., ranks No. 21 on Washington Technology’s 2011 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.