In its latest step into the services market, computer giant Dell said yesterday that it has signed an agreement to buy privately-held software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider Everdream.

Dell said that the planned acquisition of the California-based remote service management firm would complement the capabilities it gained from the buy-out of managed services business SilverBack earlier this year.

It said in a statement that the technologies from the two firms will further bolster end-to-end remote management of customers' IT environments.

After decades shunning the indirect market, the struggling computer maker said in May that it would slip into bed with resellers in the hope of shifting more boxes.

This latest planned acquisition highlights Dell's desire to quickly build up services relationships customers in new technology areas as it retools the entire business to get out of its growth slump.

Everdream has more than 140,000 business desktops on its books for companies that include Brocade Communications Systems, Midas and Sonic Automative.

Financial terms of the deal were not revealed. ®