Informix to Broaden Reach Into ‘Datamarts’

Informix Corp., a maker of database software, agreed Wednesday to buy Red Brick Systems Inc. for about $35 million in stock, broadening Informix’s reach into the market for “datamarts.” Datamarts are smaller versions of data warehouses, which hold vast amounts of data and information spanning many divisions and departments within companies. The purchase, which Palo Alto-based Informix expects to close by the end of the year, would bring Red Brick’s technology in datamarts to Informix’s expertise in data warehousing, the companies said. Informix has been refocusing its efforts to target the markets for high-performance online transaction processing, data warehousing and electronic commerce. Red Brick, a pioneer in the market for datamarts, was a high-flier until much larger competitors such as International Business Machines Corp. focused more on the market. Without the distribution channels and financial resources, Red Brick struggled and was losing money.