Rackspace Adds Error Tracking and Redis-as-a-Service to Developer Toolset With Acquisition Of Exceptional Cloud Services

San Antonio, TX, March 28, 2013 – Rackspace® Hosting (NYSE: RAX), the open cloud company, today announced the strategic acquisition of Exceptional Cloud Services to enhance its toolset for developers deploying and managing applications in the open cloud.  Through this deal, Rackspace will expand its portfolio of developer solutions to include error tracking and Redis-as-a-Service capabilities.  These solutions from Exceptional Cloud Services are currently used by more than 50,000 application developers.

“Rackspace is improving the key technologies used by developers in the open cloud. Our focus on the developer community is deeper than ever before and we are carefully adding strategic technologies to our open hybrid cloud portfolio, while keeping the needs of application developers in mind,” said Pat Matthews, senior vice president of corporate development at Rackspace.  “Through the acquisition of Exceptional Cloud Services, we’re gaining technology and expertise that will provide startups and cloud developers with the tools that help them deliver more reliable customer experiences and to bring the next generation of cloud-based apps to market faster.”

As part of the agreement, Rackspace will acquire the following products:

Exceptional.io – Exceptional tracks errors in over 6,000 web applications. The service reports errors in real-time and gathers the information developers need to fix them fast.
Airbrake.io - Airbrake collects errors generated by other applications and aggregates the results for review.
Redis To Go – Redis To Go makes managing Redis instances easier, whether it’s one instance or hundreds. Faster caching and easier in-memory dataset operations deployed on demand.

Startups like StickerMule, HowAboutWe and larger customers such as Exec, Groupon, HotelTonight, Oracle, TaskRabbit and Zendesk rely on these technologies to enhance their development, troubleshooting and Big Data applications.

Due in part to increased developer demand for more tools and capabilities that will help them design and deliver cloud applications to market, Rackspace launched its open cloud platform in 2012 including a full suite of compute, storage and networking offerings. As part of its ongoing emphasis on supporting developers, Rackspace added Mailgun, a programmable email platform in August 2012, ObjectRocket, a scalable and high-performing MongoDB database as a service (DBaaS) in February 2013, and now the latest collection of technologies from Exceptional Cloud Services.

The acquisition of Exceptional Cloud Services will also help advance Rackspace’s recent push into the MongoDB market, as the company plans to integrate its newly acquired Redis To Go solution with the MongoDB database as a service from ObjectRocket.  By aligning these two solutions, Rackspace will provide developers with a choice of open source-based data platforms delivered as reliable, managed services that increase the speed and reduce the complexity of building powerful applications on the Rackspace Open Cloud.

“Rackspace has taken another step towards creating a one-stop shop for the growing community of developers that are looking to build complex applications on the open cloud,” said Melanie Posey, Research Vice President at IDC.  “With today’s acquisition of Exceptional Cloud Services, Rackspace gave depth to its application developer toolkit by adding error tracking capabilities, along with a caching solution from Redis To Go, which the company plans to integrate with its recently acquired MongoDB database as a service from ObjectRocket.  The tools and depth of expertise that Rackspace gained through its recent acquisitions will collectively work to reduce the complexity associated with building open cloud applications and speed time to market, while helping the company extend its reach to a broader range of global developers.”

In addition, this acquisition will help Rackspace further strengthen its rich talent pool by adding high-caliber industry expertise. Jonathan Siegel, CEO of Exceptional Cloud Services and co-founder of RightScale, RightCart and RightSignature, will join Rackspace and bring with him a wealth of developer tooling experience.

“We’re delighted to join the Rackspace family. Rackspace’s reputation for service is unmatched and truly unique in the marketplace. Combined with their leadership in the open-sourced cloud, they have created an amazing environment for innovation and growth,” said Siegel.  “Rackspace and Exceptional have a mutual interest in delivering best in class tools and services for developers. Aligning efforts make sense. Integrating the expertise, tools and IP that Exceptional brings to the table into the Rackspace Open Cloud will create new and compelling experiences for developers.”

To learn more about Exceptional Cloud Services, visit: http://www.rackspace.com/blog/exceptional-cloud-services-acquisition/