IBM to expand cloud computing portfolio
IBM to expand cloud computing portfolio
IBM has announced a number of expansions to its cloud computing portfolio, which include the extension of private cloud solutions.
Laura Colvine, cloud strategy leader for the UK and Ireland with IBM, explained that the expansion will help to deliver solutions through the recognised IBM security routes and open standards capability as well as extending areas such as SAP workloads in a secure cloud.
“We are also differentiating our smart cloud solutions for vertical markets in areas such as smarter commerce and social media and marketing and customer insight,” she added.
The company's private cloud starter kit is entitled IBM SmartCloud Foundation and is targeted at the lower end of the market. It features software and hardware that is designed to help establish clouds within a company firewall.
Common labour intensive tasks associated with the management of SAP environments in the cloud will be automated through the SmartCloud, while the service is also able to access IBM's experience with the management of over 1.5 million SAP users to help reduce the cost and labour linked with SAP cloning, refreshes and patches.
There were a further five key capabilities announced in relation to IBM's cloud services. These included integration of cloud-delivered applications with other resources on-site or in the cloud; support of effective deployment and management of third-party applications with pre-defined environments and the leverage of shared services in order to reduce the cost and simplify the delivery, development and administration of cloud applications.
Plans are in place to have full global deployment of the SmartCloud established by the end of 2012 and the company hopes that enterprises will consider the service for their mission-critical applications if they are looking to implement the cost and time savings of a cloud environment.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
