Since IBM’s announced intention to purchase Red Hat for $34 billion, Forrester analysts have received a number of inquiries about the potential acquisition. Outside of our previously published thoughts, we find it unwise to speculate on IBM and Red Hat’s future plans.

That said, Forrester has published five Forrester Wave™ evaluations that compare existing products between the two companies in key areas. We have been culling through the data and believe it is a valuable resource for customers of both companies to determine where redundancies might exist.

Note: While IBM and Red Hat do have products that compete in several technology segments, no product or business strategy alignment plans have been released by either vendor, and we don’t expect them to be made publicly available for months. In the interim, if your plans for 2019 include evaluating, piloting, testing, or implementing any of the products below prior to the deal’s approval and closing, we strongly advise you to check in with your IBM and Red Hat account managers to determine whether any product guidance is available or when it will be. Don’t hesitate to reach out to both companies or to your analyst team at Forrester — we can help you determine whether or not it makes sense to narrow your shortlist or adjust your evaluation criteria in any of these technology categories.

In terms of product comparisons:

We hope this proves to be a useful starting position for those tasked to compare IBM and Red Hat products. As we move forward, Forrester will of course provide analysis as more details of this acquisition come to light.