IBM Blue Cloud Initiative Advances Enterprise Cloud Computing

Continuing in its efforts in making 2009 the Year of the Cloud, IBM (News - Alert) will reveal at events around the world a series of new products, services, clients and partnerships for its Blue Cloud initiative. IBM is collaborating to develop and test integrated cloud solutions for businesses.

Announcing its Service Management Center for Cloud Computing, the virtual warehouse of cross-IBM service management solutions will help clients manage cloud computing environments and services, claims company officials in a statement released today.

 

The Service Management Center for Cloud Computing is the new Tivoli Service Automation Manager, giving clients the ability to automate both the deployment and management of computing clouds. The IBM Service Management Center for Cloud Computing will include at least nine solutions in 2009.

IDC (News - Alert), an analyst firm, predicts cloud computing services will represent a $42 billion market by 2012. IBM claims that it has offerings for server capacity on demand, online data protection and Lotus e-mail and collaboration software.

 

Elizabeth Arden, a global beauty company, recently worked with IBM to create a passage to protect business-critical information through the cloud. Using IBM’s Business Continuity and Resiliency Services, Elizabeth Arden has implemented a solution that assures the global restoration, recovery and resilience of its key mission-critical applications, including ERP, data warehouse email backup and archival from any BCRS recovery center, and more importantly, ensures preservation of its global brand, Elizabeth Arden company officials said.

Additionally, The United States Golf Association (USGA) had devoted resources to performing traditional backup and restore on its critical systems for years. IBM's Business Continuity and Resiliency Services organization helps USGA deliver data protection services and a comprehensive infrastructure recovery solution through the IBM cloud to ensure the availability and resiliency of their core business functions.

"Enterprise clients need economically compelling solutions that help them run their businesses in smarter ways, while never taking their eyes off of security, resiliency and compliance," said Erich Clementi, General Manager, Enterprise Initiatives, IBM. "Cloud computing leverages many of IBM’s core strengths -- such as open standards, service management, scalable systems and excellence in data center operations -- and gives enterprise clients the opportunity to leverage the cloud computing's considerable cost advantages, while maintaining the highest levels of integrity, responsibility and control."

IBM is also announcing the launch of it Tivoli Storage as a Service offering through its Business Continuity & Resiliency Services cloud where clients will be able to consume Tivoli data protection technologies via a cloud and pay for only what they use.