Global vendor strategies - 24/12/05

IBM is to buy Micromuse for $865m in cash. Micromuse focuses on video and voice traffic management on computer networks.

Oracle is joining the IBM AIX Collaboration Center (IACC) as a founder member.

Lucent was surprised by a court decision of breach of contract, which ordered to pay $244m to settle a 2001 case filed by Winstar Communications. The judgment will result in a $300m charge to its FY1Q06 earnings.

The European Commission has approved the planned acquisition by Oracle of Siebel Systems for $5,8bn.