Altiris acquires Carbon Copy from Compaq

Altiris, which makes software for managing PCs in networks, has purchased the file transfer software product Carbon Copy from Compaq, according to an announcement the company plans to formally make on Monday.

Carbon Copy allows users on one PC to remotely control and transfer files on another PC over a network or dial-up connection, Altiris said in a statement. Lindon, Utah-based Altiris said Carbon Copy will enhance the remote management properties of its eXpress 5 product.

Altiris will continue to market the software as a standalone product as well as continuing support for customers who already own the product, the company said. It also plans to incorporate the technology into future releases of Altiris software.

Altiris' flagship product, eXpress, allows users to create a system image of a PC and perform tasks such as cloning and creating self-extracting files. The software is intended to help businesses lower the cost of PC ownership.

Altiris said it plans to keep all Carbon Copy employees and establish a sales and development team in the Boston area. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Last year, Compaq, in Houston, announced that it would be shipping its iPaq computers with Altiris software on them to help IS managers automate the setup of PCs.

Douglas F. Gray is a San Francisco correspondent for the IDG News Service, an InfoWorld affiliate.

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