IBM Offers Cloud-Based Development and Testing

The average enterprise devotes up to 50 percent of its entire technology infrastructure to development and test, but typically up to 90 percent of it remains idle, reports IBM. One solution is performing these functions in the cloud, which can help reduce IT labor costs by 50 percent, improve quality and drastically reduce time to market.

 

IBM (News - Alert) has plans to do just that with its commercial cloud service for software development and testing. IBM, which already delivers a test and development cloud, is now allowing enterprise and government clients to test and develop on an IBM Cloud. Following successful beta tests it is working with cloud management, cloud security and software development and testing partners support to provide businesses with flexibility, scalability, enterprise-grade security and control for development and testing on the IBM Cloud.  

 

IBM's new Smart Business Development & Test on the IBM Cloud allows enterprise clients to expand on internal development and test efforts helping clients:

 

*          Reduce provision cycle times from weeks to minutes

*          Eliminate software defects by up to 30 percent.

*          Reduce time required for test and quality assurance

*          Enable rapid redeployment of environments across multiple IT projects

 

One such client is PayPal (News - Alert), which is extending its global payments platform, PayPal X into the cloud. PayPal is working with the IBM Cloud Labs to allow its developer network to create solutions on the IBM cloud and to quickly monetize new applications developed and made available via smartphones.

 

“We want to provide a very simple way to make payments available on all platforms including mobile applications,” said Osama Bedier, PayPal's vice president of platform and emerging technologies. “The IBM cloud provides a platform for developers to come together as a community, to create, develop and test new applications. We look forward to seeing the payments innovations our developers create through the IBM cloud and bringing the wallet into the cloud.”

 

IBM is also building a partner network to deliver cloud computing solutions to clients. For example, RightScale and Kaavo can help customers manage and provision cloud resources to facilitate more effective deployment of applications and workloads in the cloud. Here is another set of examples: Navajo Systems can provide additional security for cloud-based applications and Silanis' e-signature process management can enable secure e-transactions and e-contracts.

 

IBM is also introducing new Rational software delivery lifecycle solutions in the cloud. Rational Software Delivery Services for Cloud Computing v1.0 includes a collection of Rational’s products and capabilities. Development and delivery teams can more effectively collaborate and quickly develop, test, and deploy new technology-based business initiatives.

 

Additionally, IBM is launching a new, online cloud computing resource center on IBM developerWorks, reportedly the industry's largest technical resource with 8 million registered developers, IT professionals, and students worldwide.  The new developerWorks Cloud Computing resources provide a single point of entry to beta and production cloud environments, as well as a place for visitors to learn how to make the most of cloud computing initiatives.  

 

The new resource center will include cloud articles, videos, blogs and hands-on virtual workshops for IT professionals new to cloud or interested in developing cloud infrastructures or applications. developerWorks will host cloud-focused forums and online communities and provide no-charge access to IBM software to help developers get started. The new resource center will include cloud articles, videos and hands-on virtual workshops for IT professionals new to cloud or interested in developing cloud infrastructures or applications. developerWorks will host cloud-focused forums, blogs and online communities and provide no-charge access to IBM software to help developers get started.

 

In 2010, IBM also will begin a new series of cloud computing workshops at its 40 worldwide IBM Innovation Centers to support ISV business partners seeking cloud skills.

 

IBM has offered a private cloud solution for development and test since June 2009, and now offers development and test services in three flexible delivery models:

 

*          IBM Smart Business Development & Test Cloud. This is a private cloud service behind the client's firewall, built and managed by IBM.  The service now includes enhanced capabilities for collaborative cloud development using Rational Software Delivery Services for Cloud Computing

 

*          IBM Smart Business Development & Test on the IBM Cloud. This is an application development and test featuring Rational Software Delivery Services for Cloud Computing over IBM's secure, scalable cloud

 

*          IBM CloudBurst offerings for Development & Test. IBM CloudBurst is a pre-integrated set of hardware, storage, virtualization and networking, with a sophisticated built-in service management system to allow clients to rapidly deploy an internal/private cloud environment. WebSphere CloudBurst is a hardware appliance which rapidly dispenses and manages IBM middleware products delivered as virtual images into a private cloud in the form of reusable and customizable patterns

 

“Workload characteristics continue to drive the rate and degree of standardization of IT and business services,” said Rich Esposito, vice president, IT Strategy & Architecture and Middleware Services, IBM. “Standardization is key to bringing discipline, efficiency and simplicity to the most complex corners of big businesses.”