This explains a lot - aside from sales sucking, Dell needs to make the various software businesses more attractive to outside investors as it needs to raise $$ for the upcoming EMC deal. The big haircut in software won't be the last.
Expect all kinds of pain if you are in a "non-core" part of dell.
http://m.economictimes.com/news/international/business/dell-eyes-10-billion-asset-sales-ahead-of-emc-merger/articleshow/49638456.cms