This IDC study provides an overview of M&A deals in the cloud computing industry in the first half of 2009 and the different business, financial, and technology trends affecting M&A activities. It also analyzes industry and market dynamics driving current and future acquisitions in the different cloud computing markets.

"Cloud computing is more than just buzz. It is here to stay and is expected to take increasing shares of total IT spending worldwide. From a VC perspective, the even better news is that cloud computing is still far from maturity. There are many technology gaps that are not yet filled, especially in the areas of cloud enablement, management, monitoring, and security. In particular, VCs can find investment opportunities in start-up companies that develop solutions for hybrid cloud, which is expected to experience increased demand over the coming years." — Dan Yachin, research director, IDC EMEA Emerging Technologies