Wyse has been increasing its software offerings, notably its PocketCloud, an app that allows remote access to desktops.

McNaught said that one of the things that helps with Wyse sales is its intellectual property, specifically its firmware technology, ThinOS, an alternative to Windows embedded and . The software, written in C++ and Assembly, is about 4 MB and the company claims is virus proof because it is a closed system without APIs in it.

Charles King, and analyst at Pund-IT, said he isn't surprised by Dell's decision to keep the Wyse staff, and said Dell has kept staff and managers on the payrolls in some of its other acquisitions. It fits Dell's strategy of "acquiring a significant amount of expertise in an area where they don't have a lot of expertise," he said.

King believes Dell and Wyse will be helped by Windows 8, which is being designed to work as a mobile and desktop platform. "The thin client players believe there is a real opportunity for them," he said.

Patrick Thibodeau covers cloud computing and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld. Follow Patrick on Twitter at or subscribe to . His e-mail address is .