Rocket Software completes Vertica acquisition from OpenText

Rocket Software has completed its acquisition of Vertica from OpenText, bringing more than 600 customers and 170 employees into the business.

The transaction also included Vertica's customers and employees in Australia and was assessed and approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Vertica is an analytics database platform that Rocket plans to add to its software portfolio. The acquisition is part of a broader push to combine data analytics and artificial intelligence tools with software used to modernise longstanding business systems.

Rocket Software is a US-based technology company focused on system modernisation, data and infrastructure software. It serves more than 12,500 customers globally and employs more than 3,000 people, with operations across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Vertica adds a business with an established international customer base, extending Rocket's reach in analytics software at a time when companies are trying to make better use of data held in older and mixed IT environments.

The deal also builds on Rocket's earlier purchase of OpenText's Application Modernization & Connectivity business. Completed in 2024, that transaction expanded Rocket's presence in software used to connect and update older applications and systems.

Portfolio expansion

Vertica will sit alongside Rocket's DataEdge and ContentEdge products, which are designed to help companies connect, manage and use data across on-premises systems and cloud environments.

Vertica's software can be deployed in cloud, on-premises and hybrid settings. That positions Rocket to serve customers that have not fully moved to public cloud infrastructure, as well as those running mixed estates across different environments.

In Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region, the acquisition strengthens Rocket's local presence by adding existing Vertica customers and employees. Including Australian staff and customers also suggests continuity for regional users of the database platform as ownership shifts from OpenText to Rocket.

One question for customers will be how quickly Rocket integrates Vertica's technology and sales operations into its broader business. It has indicated plans to link the platform with its existing data and modernisation software, but has not set out a timetable.

Executive comments

Milan Shetti, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Software, commented on the rationale for the deal.

"For more than 35 years, Rocket Software has been the modernisation partner of choice for global Fortune 500 companies," Shetti said. "With Vertica, Rocket is advancing the next phase of modernisation by enabling customers to unlock the power of their enterprise data. Together, we can deliver a truly end-to-end modernisation experience from mission-critical systems to advanced analytics and AI while maintaining stability, performance, and trust."

Industry analyst Devin Pratt said the acquisition broadens Rocket's offering in data management and analytics.

"Rocket's continued investments in data, AI, and analytics show a deep understanding of how modernisation is evolving," said Pratt, Research Director, Data Management, IDC. "Vertica strengthens Rocket's ability to support enterprises working to modernise their core systems, repatriate analytics workloads, and accelerate AI adoption. This acquisition brings together complementary strengths for organisations seeking to transform data into real business value."

The acquisition comes as software suppliers look for ways to tie analytics and AI products more closely to established operational systems. Many large organisations still rely on older core platforms for finance, operations and transaction processing, creating demand for tools that can access and analyse data without requiring a full replacement of those systems.

For OpenText, the sale marks another portfolio adjustment. For Rocket, it is another step in building a broader software stack around modernisation, integration and data management, while adding a sizeable installed base through Vertica's more than 600 global customers and 170 employees.