Condusiv Technologies

Condusiv Technologies is a privately held American software company headquartered in Burbank, California. Its roots extend to Executive Software International, a company founded by Craig Jensen in 1981 to develop system software for Digital Equipment Corporation VAX/VMS environments. The business became closely associated with Diskeeper, a disk-defragmentation product designed to optimize file-system performance without requiring systems to be taken offline. That capability initially attracted organizations operating mission-critical computing environments, including large corporations, government agencies, air-traffic-control operations, and other customers that needed systems to remain available continuously. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company established a strong position in the market for third-party software supporting Digital Equipment Corporation business computers. It was included on Software magazine’s ranking of leading independent software companies for four consecutive years from 1989 through 1992. The company later expanded into Microsoft Windows. In 1995, Microsoft asked the business to develop software for Windows NT before the operating system’s public release. The resulting work helped bring Diskeeper into the Windows market, where disk defragmentation became the company’s best-known category. The business subsequently operated under the Diskeeper Corporation name, reflecting the importance of its flagship product. Its portfolio broadened beyond conventional defragmentation to include Undelete, a utility for recovering accidentally deleted files; V-locity Virtual Machine, designed to improve disk performance in virtual-server environments; and technologies addressing solid-state storage, boot performance, background processing, and write optimization. HyperFast was positioned as an optimizer for solid-state drives, HyperBoot addressed system startup performance, and InvisiTasking was intended to let optimization work run in the background with limited visibility to users. IntelliWrite, introduced in 2009, used a file-system driver approach intended to reduce fragmentation at the time data was written rather than relying only on later defragmentation. Condusiv also developed and licensed technology for original-equipment manufacturers. ExpressCache, for example, uses a smaller solid-state drive as a cache for a larger hard disk, with the goal of improving boot and application-launch times. The company’s OEM relationships have included SanDisk, Samsung, and LG, giving its technologies a route into consumer and enterprise hardware products in addition to direct software sales and support. Jerry Baldwin became chief executive officer in September 2011, taking over managerial and day-to-day responsibilities from Jensen. Under Baldwin, the company adopted the Condusiv Technologies name and repositioned itself around cloud computing, virtualization, and performance optimization. The “Think Faster” tagline expressed this strategic emphasis. Condusiv’s public profile therefore reflects a transition from a specialist defragmentation vendor into a broader storage- and infrastructure-performance software provider. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about its current leadership, ownership, financial performance, and present product availability.

Condusiv Technologies traces its origins to Executive Software International, founded by Craig Jensen in March 1981. Jensen had studied electrical engineering at Northwestern University and gained early computing experience through work as a computer operator. Before founding the company, he worked on operating systems at Applied Data Research and later at Data General Corporation. The company’s initial technical focus was the VAX/VMS platform, where it developed software that could defragment disks while systems remained online. This feature was particularly relevant to customers running continuous or mission-critical workloads. The company’s early customer base included Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 corporations, public-sector agencies, air-traffic-control operations, and NASA-related environments. In the early 1990s, Diskeeper became the best-selling third-party software product for Digital Equipment Corporation business computers. Executive Software also appeared on Software magazine’s list of the top independent software companies from 1989 through 1992. A major expansion occurred in the mid-1990s. Microsoft asked the company to develop software for Windows NT before that operating system was released. As one of Microsoft’s original source-code licensees, Executive Software used this relationship to establish Diskeeper in the Windows market. The product became the central identity of the business, and the company later adopted the Diskeeper Corporation name. The portfolio expanded from defragmentation into a broader set of storage and performance tools. Undelete addressed recovery of files removed accidentally. V-locity Virtual Machine targeted disk optimization for virtualized servers. HyperFast focused on solid-state-drive optimization, while HyperBoot addressed startup performance. InvisiTasking was designed to run processes unobtrusively in the background. In 2009, the company introduced IntelliWrite, a file-system driver intended to take advantage of Windows’ file-write behavior so that data could be written in a less fragmented form from the outset. Condusiv also pursued OEM licensing. ExpressCache used a low-capacity solid-state drive to cache data for a larger hard disk, with the intended effect of improving boot and application-launch performance. Reference material identifies SanDisk, Samsung, and LG among the OEMs to which the company sold or licensed products and technologies. Jensen stepped down from the chief executive role in 2009, and Jerry Baldwin became CEO in September 2011. Baldwin assumed day-to-day managerial responsibility and renamed the organization Condusiv Technologies. The rebranding accompanied a restructuring and a stated shift toward cloud, virtualization, and optimization, summarized by the “Think Faster” motto. The company has also attracted controversy because of its connection to Scientology-related management practices. In 1991, Executive Software declined to renew support for Ciba-Geigy’s VAX version of Diskeeper after learning of Ciba-Geigy’s involvement in manufacturing Ritalin, while honoring the existing contractual term. In 2000, German authorities examined whether the inclusion of Diskeeper functionality in Windows 2000’s disk-defragmentation utility created a security concern, in a broader context involving German public-sector restrictions on dealings with Scientology members. Microsoft stated that it had tested the software and found no capability to collect or transmit user data. In 2008, two former employees sued over alleged dismissal connected to Hubbard Management training. The proposed injunction was removed in February 2009, and the case was dismissed in June of that year. A later arbitration involving the former employees’ attorney resulted in findings concerning confidential training documents and an award to Diskeeper for liquidated damages, attorney fees, and costs. Public reference material does not establish the company’s current ownership, financial scale, or the complete status of its product portfolio.

1. 2011Rebranding as Condusiv Technologies

   Jerry Baldwin became CEO in September and led a restructuring and reorientation toward cloud, virtualization, and optimization.

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2. 2009IntelliWrite is introduced

   The company introduced a file-system driver intended to reduce fragmentation during the writing process.

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3. 1995Expansion into Windows NT

   Microsoft asked the company to develop products for Windows NT before the platform’s release, helping Diskeeper enter the Windows market.

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4. 1992Completes four consecutive years on Software magazine ranking

   Executive Software remained on the ranking from 1989 through 1992.

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5. 1989First appearance in Software magazine’s independent software ranking

   The company began a four-year run on Software magazine’s list of leading independent software companies.

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6. 1981Executive Software International is founded

   Craig Jensen founded the company in March 1981 to develop software initially centered on VAX/VMS systems.

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Enterprise and OEM infrastructure-performance software provider focused on reducing storage inefficiency, improving virtualized and Windows system performance, and extending the practical value of hybrid storage architectures.

• DiskeeperFile-system defragmentation

  Diskeeper is the company’s historic flagship software family. It was designed to reduce file fragmentation and improve storage performance on Microsoft Windows and, in the company’s earlier history, OpenVMS systems. Its ability to work without taking systems offline helped establish the product among organizations operating continuously available or mission-critical environments.

• V-locity Virtual MachineVirtualization performance software

  V-locity Virtual Machine is a disk-optimization product aimed at virtual-server environments. It extends Condusiv’s storage-performance focus into virtualization, where contention and inefficient disk access can affect the performance of multiple guest systems sharing physical resources.

• UndeleteData recovery utility

  Undelete provides protection against and recovery of accidentally deleted files. It represents the company’s expansion from preventive storage optimization into a recovery-oriented utility for Windows users and organizations.

• ExpressCacheOEM storage caching

  ExpressCache uses a smaller solid-state drive as a cache for a larger hard-disk drive. The architecture is intended to accelerate system boot and application launches while retaining the larger capacity of the hard disk. Condusiv supplied the technology through OEM relationships including SanDisk, Samsung, and LG.

• HyperFastSolid-state-drive optimization

  HyperFast is a Condusiv technology intended to optimize solid-state-drive performance. It reflects the company’s effort to adapt its storage-management expertise beyond mechanical-disk defragmentation to newer solid-state storage architectures.

• HyperBootBoot optimization

  HyperBoot is a boot-time optimization technology designed to improve startup behavior. It formed part of Condusiv’s broader set of tools for reducing delays associated with storage access and system initialization.

• InvisiTaskingBackground processing technology

  InvisiTasking enables optimization or maintenance processes to run in the background with minimal visibility to the user. The concept supports Condusiv’s emphasis on improving performance without interrupting normal system use.

• IntelliWriteFile-system optimization2009

  Introduced in 2009, IntelliWrite is an advanced file-system driver designed to use Windows’ file-write behavior to place data in a less fragmented state. Its preventative approach was intended to reduce the need for later defragmentation while remaining compatible with other storage-management products.

• 2011Repositioning around cloud, virtualization, and optimizationStrategy

  After Jerry Baldwin became chief executive, the company sought to move beyond its historic association with disk defragmentation and address broader infrastructure-performance needs.

  What changed. The business was renamed Condusiv Technologies, restructured, and presented itself around cloud, virtualization, and optimization under the “Think Faster” motto.

  Aftermath. The rebrand broadened the company’s identity, although publicly available material does not document its later financial or operational results.

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• 2009Launch of IntelliWriteProduct launch

  Traditional defragmentation operates after fragmentation has occurred, while Windows file-write behavior creates an opportunity to prevent some fragmentation earlier.

  What changed. Condusiv introduced IntelliWrite, a file-system driver intended to write files in a less fragmented state and work alongside other storage-management products.

  Aftermath. The launch reinforced the company’s shift toward preventative storage optimization rather than relying solely on post-event defragmentation.

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• 2008Former employees’ employment lawsuitControversy

  Former CIO Alexander Godelman and Automation Planning Officer Marc Le Shay alleged that training in Hubbard Management courses was required as a condition of employment and that noncompliance could lead to dismissal. The case was dismissed in full in June 2009.

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• 2000German security and Scientology-related review of Diskeeper functionalityControversy

  The German Federal Office for Information Security examined whether Diskeeper functionality included in Windows 2000’s Disk Defragmenter posed a security or surveillance risk. Microsoft said testing found no capability to store or transmit user data. The review also reflected German public-sector restrictions concerning business with Scientology members.

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• 1991Refusal to renew Ciba-Geigy supportControversy

  Executive Software said it would honor Ciba-Geigy’s existing 12-month update agreement for the VAX version of Diskeeper but would not renew support or software after learning that the customer manufactured Ritalin, which Jensen criticized because of reported links between the drug and suicide in children.

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• 2011Company adopts the Condusiv Technologies name and refocuses on cloud, virtualization, and optimization

  Following Jerry Baldwin’s appointment as chief executive, the company formerly associated with Diskeeper Corporation changed its name to Condusiv Technologies and redirected its stated strategic focus toward cloud computing, virtualization, and performance optimization.

  Leadership change
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• 2009IntelliWrite technology introduced

  Condusiv introduced IntelliWrite, a file-system driver technology intended to prevent or reduce fragmentation during file writes on Windows systems.

  Product launch
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1. Condusiv Technologies