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August 1, 2006
What are you announcing today?
Rocket Software has acquired Mainstar Software.
When did Rocket close this deal?
This deal closed on July 31, 2006.
Why did Rocket acquire Mainstar?
Rocket and Mainstar have known each other for many years. Our product portfolios fit together very nicely, without any product overlap. Our cultures are very similar, and Mainstar’s world-class domain expertise in the mainframe storage space complements Rocket’s mainframe domain expertise perfectly.
Will the Mainstar brand/name continue?
Mainstar will continue to operate under the existing name of Mainstar Software Corporation. Mainstar products will continue to be developed, sold, supported, and serviced by the Mainstar team. There are currently no plans to rename or rebrand any Mainstar products to the Rocket brand.
Will Mainstar continue to develop and support its current products?
Yes, development and support will continue with current staff from the current location in Bellevue, WA. As a result, customers can expect the same excellent service they’ve come to expect from Mainstar.
Will the telephone and email address for technical support remain the same?
Yes, the telephone number and email address will remain the same.
Do any customer license and maintenance agreements need to be re-written?
No. All existing license and maintenance agreements, terms, and conditions will remain in effect.
Will Mainstar product or maintenance prices be raised?
No. Rocket has no current plans to change the pricing of any of the Mainstar product, service, or maintenance offerings.
What will happen to the Mainstar developers?
Bob Perego, Director of Development at Mainstar, has a terrific relationship with Andy Youniss, CEO of Rocket Software. Both Mainstar and Rocket share a common vision for the Mainstar products. There are currently no plans to reduce the number of Mainstar development resources. In fact, Mainstar now has the ability to add engineering resources to its software development, test, support, and delivery supply chain.
Are Mainstar developers staying on?
Yes. Rocket has been developing mainframe software since its inception in 1990. The developers at Mainstar appreciate that Rocket – from the CEO on down – understands and values the mainframe and mainframe software engineers. Furthermore, R&D investment at Rocket has historically far exceeded industry norms, and Mainstar developers are excited to be part of a company that invests so significantly in R&D.
What will happen to the Mainstar sales channel?
Mainstar will continue to run its sales operations. Rocket is counting on the Mainstar Sales Team to deliver sales results per the business plan and financial model that underlies the Rocket acquisition.
How does this acquisition affect Mainstar’s relationship with IBM?
Mainstar and Rocket both have very strong ties with IBM, so the relationship will be better than ever. Rocket Software is a long-time supplier of IBM-branded software solutions, and IBM will continue to sell both IBM and Mainstar offerings.
Is Ron Ferguson joining Rocket?
Ron has been the guiding force at Mainstar since its inception. While Ron will not continue on with either Mainstar or Rocket, he has prepared Mainstar for this transaction for many months, and was present in Bellevue, WA, during the initial transition. Ron is available to help Rocket and Mainstar on an as-needed basis.
What will happen to the Mainstar Customer Service/Technical Support organization?
Mainstar Technical Support will continue to provide customer service for all of the Mainstar products. Customers can expect the same excellent level of service they have always received from the Mainstar team.
What will happen to the Mainstar SEs?
Mainstar Technical Sales and Professional Services will continue to provide support to all of Mainstar’s channels, including Mainstar’s own direct sales channel, Mainstar resellers, and IBM. In addition, this team will be cross-trained on Rocket’s existing z/OS storage products and those that are IBM Tivoli branded.
Where can I go to find out more information about Rocket and Mainstar?
If you have questions about this acquisition, feel free to contact Andy Youniss, CEO of Rocket Software. (Also, both Rocket and Mainstar will be at the SHARE User Events in Baltimore, MD, starting August 14th. Andy will be at the Rocket booth (number 424) to answer any questions you might have.) Or send your questions to mainstar@rs.com.