We - the rank-and-file employees at Ntirety - received word yesterday that we had been acquired by Hosting, a cloud and network services provider based out of Denver, CO.  Apparently Hosting did not have a database services division and decided it made more sense to buy one than to build one.  Ntirety had been looking for a partner or a purchaser and liked what they saw at Hosting.

 As always, the employees in the middle of such a change are the ones who have to make the day-to-day operations appear as seamless as possible to each other and to our clients.

While I have never been in this situation myself, (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night)  I have had many friends who have gone through this scenario, and most of them have ended one of two ways:

Mass Carnage, where the purchasing firm becomes a conquering overlord and dismembers the purchased firm in a quick and painful fashion

http://www.flickr.com/photos/topcat_angel/2166383816/

Friendly Cooperation, where the purchasing firm basically leaves the purchased firm alone and the two companies help each other succeed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vblibrary/8471702001/

Unfortunately, for many corporate partnerships/acquisitions, the first option seems more common than the second, but in our case it feels like we are actually in the second scenario.

The most comforting thing we learned yesterday in the "Congratulations - you work for someone else effective last Friday!" presentation is that our CEO, Michael Corey, is staying on as president of "Ntirety, a division of Hosting."  Another positive thing is that there will be no staff reductions *and* that all currently open positions will remain open and be filled. (I had to ask that during the presentation because I have seen that first-hand before - divisions juggle and while no one gets cut suddenly all of the open positions disappear, leaving you just as short-handed as if people had been cut!)

I am always cautious (a good trait in a DBA, right?) but looking back the morning after I think this will work out well for all involved - and as an employee, I am betting my career and my family's well-being on it.