Computer maker Dell Inc. said Friday it has agreed to buy The Networked Storage Co., a privately held data-storage consulting firm based in the United Kingdom.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Separately, Dell struck a deal with retailer Tesco to sell XPS and Inspiron desktop and notebook computers in about 500 stores, mostly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Tesco is the latest in a string of retail partners for Dell, which is edging away from its longtime model of

selling machines directly to businesses and consumers by the phone or on the World Wide Web.

Dell has agreed to sell computers in more than 10,000 stores.

Networked Storage, formed in 2002, has 26 employees. A Dell spokesman declined to discuss Networked Storage’s revenues. It advises some of Europe’s leading financial institutions and other customers on infrastructure maintenance and management, Dell said.

Dell said it plans to use Networked Storage’s methods in its consulting offerings worldwide.

Orginal post by Top Tech News