Vigilent, CiRBA Raise Funding for DCIM Tools

Investors continue to see opportunity in the growing market for data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software. Today two providers of DCIM tools announced substantial funding:

CiRBA Secures $15 Million

CiRBA Inc. has raised $15 million in its third round of institutional funding led by Tandem Expansion Fund, with existing investors Sigma Partners and Edgestone Capital Partners also participating. The financing follows a series of enterprise-wide sales to some of the largest financial institutions in the world, which helped CiRBA achieve record software bookings in 2011, the company said in its announcement. CiRBA's Data Center Intelligence (DCI) is predictive analytics software that features a console for policy-based control of virtual and cloud infrastructure.

"Our extensive investigation into the cloud and virtualization management software market clearly shows the need for a control system; software to help deliver the promised efficiencies and drive automation," said Chris Legg, Managing Partner, Tandem Expansion Fund. "CiRBA is far ahead of other software products both in terms of capability and customers with enterprise deals of up to 100,000 servers. We feel we have made a great investment and look forward to supporting their growth."

Vigilent Gets $6.7 Million via Accel

Vigilent, which makes intelligent energy management systems for data centers, closed $6.7 million in investments led by Accel Partners, the companies announced today. "Super angel" investors including Gaurav Garg and Peter Wagner also participated in this round.

With more than 90 deployments throughout the United States, Canada and Japan (including several with NTT America), the company is profitable and says it is on track to double revenues again this year. Vigilent will use the funding to expand its portfolio of energy management products, move into new geographic regions and expand staffing.

"We have the extraordinary good fortune to have exactly the right technology at the right time," said Mark Housley, Vigilent CEO. "Energy management is increasingly costly and yet poorly understood. Our technology changes this dynamic dramatically and instantly. We leverage big data analytics to intelligently and proactively optimize energy efficiency in automated, real-time response to changing conditions. The cheapest kilowatt hour is the one you’ve never used. We are pleased with the confidence that Accel Partners, along with our previous investors, have placed in us to help companies gain control of their cooling energy spends."

Vigilent's system can analyze data from hundreds to thousands of wireless sensors deployed throughout a single data center or portfolio-wide, to deliver real-time information to an artificial intelligence engine. The technology can provide constant updates to dynamically control cooling and air handling resources, taking fully-automated control of a complex mix of equipment.