Cirata
Cirata is a technology company providing software for enterprise data management and large-scale data migration.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Cirata plc is a technology company focused on software for enterprise data management, data movement, and large-scale migration between distributed, on-premises, and cloud environments. The business traces its origins to WANdisco, a company founded in 2005 by David Richards and Yeturu Aahlad. The original name referred to wide-area network distributed computing, reflecting the company’s early focus on enabling distributed data processing across geographically separated systems. WANdisco developed technology intended to move and synchronize substantial data volumes without requiring prolonged system downtime. Its software was associated with enterprise and big-data environments in which organizations needed to transfer information between legacy infrastructure, Hadoop-based systems, public clouds, and other distributed platforms. The company’s proposition centered on continuous data transfer and migration capabilities designed to support modernization while keeping source systems operational. The company became publicly traded through an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange on 1 June 2012. During the same year, it acquired AltoStor, broadening its technology and product capabilities in the distributed-data and big-data software space. Over time, the business expanded its emphasis from a narrower distributed-computing identity toward broader data-management and cloud-migration use cases. In 2023, WANdisco experienced a major corporate and governance crisis after announcing that it had identified approximately $100 million in false sales bookings associated with an unnamed senior sales employee. The disclosure led to regulatory scrutiny, including an investigation by the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority. Stephen Kelly, who had become interim chief executive in May 2023, was appointed chief executive in July of that year. Shareholders approved changing the corporate name from WANdisco plc to Cirata plc at the annual general meeting held on 30 August 2023. The rebranding was completed by early October 2023, and the company continued trading on AIM under the symbol CRTA. Cirata is described as dual-headquartered in London and San Ramon, California, with a development hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Its corporate identity is positioned around helping organizations manage, migrate, and modernize data across complex technology estates. The company’s subsequent portfolio has included data-movement and migration capabilities as well as DevOps-related assets. In July 2025, Cirata agreed to divest its DevOps assets to BlueOptima; the transaction was reported as completed in December 2025 for US$3.4 million. The available reference material does not identify Cirata’s current revenue, employee count, customer list, or detailed product catalog.
History
Cirata originated as WANdisco, founded in 2005 by David Richards and Yeturu Aahlad. The name WANdisco was derived from the concept of wide-area network distributed computing and reflected the company’s initial technical emphasis on distributed processing over geographically separated systems. Its software sought to help organizations move and manage large datasets across distributed infrastructure while reducing the need for extended service interruptions. The company’s technology developed in the context of enterprise big-data adoption. Organizations using Hadoop and related systems often needed to transfer data between legacy platforms, data centers, and emerging cloud environments. WANdisco’s products were designed around continuous data movement and synchronization, allowing data migration and modernization projects to proceed while operational systems remained available. This positioned the business in a specialized segment between data-management software, cloud migration, and distributed computing. WANdisco became a public company through an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange on 1 June 2012. Later that year, it acquired AltoStor. The acquisition formed part of the company’s effort to strengthen its capabilities in distributed data and big-data software. In the years that followed, its commercial identity broadened beyond the original WANdisco name and technology description as enterprise customers increasingly adopted hybrid infrastructure and public-cloud services. The company entered a major period of disruption in 2023. In March, WANdisco reported that it had discovered roughly $100 million in false sales bookings linked to an unnamed senior sales employee. The disclosure raised questions about internal controls, reporting, and governance and led to regulatory attention. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority opened an investigation in April 2023. During this period, Stephen Kelly served as interim chief executive from 10 May and was formally appointed chief executive on 25 July. At its annual general meeting on 30 August 2023, shareholders approved changing the company’s name to Cirata plc. The rebranding was completed by early October 2023. The renamed company continued to trade on AIM under the ticker CRTA. The Cirata identity represented a repositioning of the public company around enterprise data management, data migration, and the movement of information across complex technology environments. Cirata is described as having dual headquarters in London and San Ramon, California, with a development center in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Its business scope includes software for managing and transferring data between on-premises systems, distributed platforms, and cloud environments. The company has also held DevOps-related assets. In July 2025, Cirata agreed to divest those assets to BlueOptima, with completion reported in December 2025 for US$3.4 million. The available reference material does not provide a detailed chronology of every product release, customer contract, executive appointment, or geographic market. It also does not establish current financial performance or the complete composition of Cirata’s product portfolio. The company’s documented history is therefore best understood as a transition from a distributed-computing and big-data software company operating under the WANdisco name to a data-management and migration business operating under the Cirata brand.
- 2025
DevOps asset divestiture completed
[1]Cirata completed the divestiture of its DevOps assets to BlueOptima for US$3.4 million, according to the reference material.
- 2023
False sales bookings disclosed
[1]The company announced that approximately $100 million in false sales bookings had been identified.
- 2023
Stephen Kelly becomes chief executive
[1]Stephen Kelly moved from interim chief executive to the permanent chief executive role.
- 2023
Cirata rebrand approved and completed
[1]Shareholders approved the name change to Cirata plc on 30 August, and the transition was completed by early October.
- 2012
Initial public offering
[1]WANdisco completed an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange on 1 June 2012.
- 2012
AltoStor acquisition
[1]WANdisco acquired AltoStor, expanding its position in distributed-data and big-data software.
- 2005
WANdisco is founded
[1]David Richards and Yeturu Aahlad co-founded the company that initially operated under the WANdisco name.
Products and positioning
Enterprise data-management and migration specialist focused on moving and synchronizing large datasets across legacy, on-premises, distributed, and cloud environments.
Enterprise data management
Data migration software
Cirata’s core offering is associated with software that moves large datasets between enterprise systems, distributed platforms, and cloud environments. The technology is intended for modernization and migration programs in which customers need to transfer data while keeping source environments available. Specific current product names and release details are not provided in the reference material.
Data movement
Distributed data synchronization
The company’s historical WANdisco positioning included continuous movement and synchronization of data across geographically distributed systems. This type of capability supports hybrid infrastructure, big-data environments, and transfers between on-premises technology and public-cloud destinations.
DevOps software
DevOps assets
Cirata held assets related to DevOps software, but the reference material does not identify the individual products or their functionality. These assets were agreed for divestiture to BlueOptima in 2025 and were reported as transferred in December of that year.
Controversies
2023
False sales bookings investigation
WANdisco disclosed in March 2023 that it had uncovered approximately $100 million in false sales bookings associated with an unnamed senior sales employee. The disclosure created a major corporate reporting and governance crisis. The Financial Conduct Authority opened an investigation in April 2023 and closed it in November 2025 without taking action against the company.
Brand decisions
2025
Divestiture of DevOps assets to BlueOptimaM&ABackground
Cirata decided to dispose of its DevOps-related assets as part of portfolio management.
Action taken
Cirata agreed to sell the assets to BlueOptima in July 2025. The transaction was reported as completed in December 2025 for US$3.4 million.
Aftermath
The divestiture reduced Cirata’s portfolio of DevOps-related assets and left its data-management and migration activities as the central documented focus.
Transaction value. US$3.4 million (Transaction completed December 2025)
2023
Appointment of Stephen Kelly as chief executiveOtherBackground
The appointment followed a period of leadership disruption after the disclosure of false sales bookings.
Action taken
Stephen Kelly, who had served as interim chief executive since 10 May 2023, was appointed chief executive on 25 July 2023.
Aftermath
Kelly led the company through its subsequent corporate rebranding as Cirata.
2023
Corporate rebranding from WANdisco to CirataStrategyBackground
The company sought to operate under an identity more closely associated with enterprise data management and migration.
Action taken
Shareholders approved the name change to Cirata plc at the 30 August 2023 annual general meeting, with the transition completed by early October.
Aftermath
The company continued trading on AIM under the ticker CRTA while operating under the Cirata name.
Recent events
WANdisco and Snowflake announce data migration partnership[2]
Reported:
WANdisco and Snowflake announced a partnership to automate, accelerate, and simplify migration of on-premises Hadoop analytics workloads to Snowflake's data platform.
WANdisco launches LiveData Partner Network[3]
Reported:
WANdisco announced the launch of its global LiveData Partner Network as part of a partner-first go-to-market strategy, providing partners with sales, marketing, training, certification and support resources.
WANdisco launches LiveData Migrator[4]
Reported:
WANdisco launched LiveData Migrator, a product designed to move data from on-premises Hadoop clusters to the cloud, including Amazon Web Services.
- Unconfirmed
WANdisco provides free access to its data software[5]
Reported:
WANdisco released free access to its suite of data tools for teams processing coronavirus-related big data, saying the software could help speed efforts to develop treatments and cures.
- Unconfirmed
WANdisco releases free access to its data software for coronavirus research[6]
Reported:
WANdisco released free access to its software suite for teams processing big data about coronavirus. The article says the company intended to help efforts to develop potential treatments and cures.
Sources6 sources
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