News
SpringSource Acquires Covalent Technologies
- By Will Kraft
- February 4, 2008
SpringSource issued an announcement last week that it has acquired Covalent Technologies, a provider of open source Apache Foundation server solutions and support. The merger is notable in that it combines SpringSource's Java- and J2EE-based Spring Framework technologies with Apache-based products and services -- now offered under one roof.
The Spring plus Tomcat combination was key to the acquisition decision, according to Rod Johnson, SpringSource's CEO.
"Thousands of organizations" use Spring on Tomcat as their middleware solution, according to a blog by Johnson. He also cited a December 2006 survey by BZ Media indicating that Apache Tomcat had a 64 percent market share among open source application servers.
Johnson emphasized the lightweight alternative of the combined products.
"These solutions are being chosen over bloated and complex legacy Java platforms," Johnson stated in the announcement. "In fact, at a recent Spring conference, a recent survey showed that over 93 percent of enterprises running Spring also run Tomcat."
Covalent will continue its role in providing Apache products and support as a division of SpringSource, stated Mark Brewer, Covalent's CEO, in a blog. The combined company will remain committed to open source software, and will continue to contribute to open source products sponsored by the Apache Software Foundation, Brewer added.
Brewer will retain leadership over SpringSource's Covalent division as general manager in addition to taking on the role of vice president at SpringSource, according to the announcement.
SpringSource intends to continue to support "all middleware platforms, including WebLogic and WebSphere," according to Johnson's blog.
The companies will host a free Webinar (registration required) called "Tomcat and Spring: The Perfect Match," which is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 18.