Sungard Availability Services (Sungard AS) has broken off from its software parent SunGard Data Systems Inc., and now features its own brand and board of directors.

The split has been expected as Sungard AS, a provider of managed IT, cloud and disaster recovery services, seeks to differentiate itself from rivals.

The new company said it boasts yearly sales of about $1.4 billion, operates in 11 countries and reaches 7,000 customers. It will remain headquartered in Wayne, Penn.

“Now that we are an independent firm, we have the flexibility to evolve our culture, our industry relationships and our investments to maximize our business and best serve customers,” Andrew A. Stern, Sungard AS CEO, said in a prepared statement.

Forbes contributor Ben Kepes said the spinoff does indeed make Sungard AS more nimble. Yet, he added, “it strikes me that much of the barrier to legacy vendors competing is an organizational culture one – as such the challenge now is to imbue a [culture] of agility within the organization – the jury is out on how well Sungard will be able to execute upon this need – some wholesale executive changes within the company are likely to be needed.”

Sungard AS was a division of 30-year-old vendor SunGard Data Systems, itself borne from the Sun Oil Company. As part of its efforts to distinguish itself from its previous owner, Sungard AS introduced a new brand identity, including a new logo.

“All of us here at Sungard AS are very excited about the prospects to accelerate our growth, and we look forward to continue partnering with our customers to deliver the business outcomes they need,” Stern added.

Sungard AS sells through the channel.