M&A Briefs

Hewlett-Packard Corp. (NYSE: HPQ) has agreed to acquire Consera Software Corp., a Bellevue, Wash.-based maker of server resource management products. No deal terms were disclosed. Consera has raised over $7 million from Ignition Partners, Intel Capital and Matrix Partners.

Verity Inc. (Nasdaq: VRTY) has agreed to acquire Cardiff Software Inc., a Vista, Calif.-based supplier of technology that automates data collection. The all-cash transaction is valued at $50 million. Cardiff has raised around $27 million in venture funding since 1991, including an infusion in late 2000 that valued the company at over $90 million. Investors included HarbourVest Partners, Granite Ventures, DICOM Group PLC and Adobe Ventures.

Quest Software Inc. (Nasdaq: QSFT) has agreed to acquire Aelita Software Inc., a Dublin, Ohio-based provider of systems management solutions. The deal is valued at $115 million. Aelita has raised venture capital funding from Insight Venture Partners.

Paradigm Genetics Inc. (Nasdaq: PDGM) has agreed to acquire TissueInformatics Inc., a Pittsburgh-based provider of pathology software. TissueInformatics has raised over $17 million in funding since 1998, including a $12.5 million infusion in early 2002 at a post-money valuation of $29 million. Company investors include The aurora Funds, Birchmere Ventures, The Future Fund, Manufacturer’s Life Insurance Co., Motorola Ventures and Techno Venture Management.

Broadcom Corp. (Nasdaq: BRCM) has acquired RAIDCore Inc., a Nashua, N.H.-based developer of RAID (redundant arrays ofinexpensive disks) and visualization software. RAIDcore has raised startup funding from Egan-Managed Capital and Longworth Venture Partners.