Part of rSmart is sold; no changes to SmartSite are expected

rSmart, an open-source software services company, has sold its learning management division to Asahi Net International. The division hosts SmartSite for UC Davis, but no changes to SmartSite are expected.

SmartSite, supported by the Academic Technology Services unit of Information and Educational Technology, has been UC Davis' main campus learning management system since 2007.

Asahi Net International and its parent company Asahi Net, Inc., provide technology services to educational institutions in Japan and worldwide. rSmart has partnered with Asahi Net International for several years.

UC Davis has a strong relationship with rSmart and will meet this month with leadership of Asahi Net International to maintain these ties.

SmartSite will continue to operate as it has. rSmart's entire learning management team will move to Asahi Net International, said Chris Coppola, rSmart chief executive officer and a member of Asahi Net International's board of directors. The same rSmart technicians and client services staff who have worked with UC Davis will still manage SmartSite for the campus, operate out of the same offices, and run SmartSite in the same data center in Arizona.

Also:

• Asahi Net International will maintain the rigorous standards rSmart has used to protect the confidentiality and integrity of SmartSite data.
• UC Davis' local SmartSite team, in consultation with campus advisory groups, will continue to oversee SmartSite and associated services.
• UC Davis, as it has with rSmart managers, will meet regularly with Asahi Net International managers to ensure that the campus receives the same level of service for SmartSite, if not better, as it has in the past.

For more about the acquisition, please see this rSmart press release. Please send questions to ats@ucdavis.edu.