Micromuse buys its partner

Business software maker Micromuse on Wednesday acquired Network Harmoni for about $23 million in cash to bolster is systems-management product portfolio. Executives from San Francisco, Calif.-based Micromuse said that the company will incorporate Network Harmoni's software "agent" technology, which collects performance data from different applications into Micromuse's Netcool systems monitoring product line. Network Harmoni, which is based in San Diego, Calif., was a Micromuse partner, and the two companies have sold their software jointly. Micromuse executives said the addition of Network Harmoni's technology will help Micromuse compete with larger systems-management companies.