IBM pumps up 'on demand' power
Published: 17 Feb 2003 13:05 GMT
IBM is sharpening its "on demand" vision of computing with products and marketing programs geared toward its business partners.
At its PartnerWorld conference in New Orleans, Big Blue will introduce upgrades to its WebSphere middleware, a key component of its on-demand computing initiative.
Under the on-demand concept, powerful computer networks and other technological advancements will let companies buy computing power the way they now buy electricity.
IBM is also expected to introduce "express" versions of its DB2 database and Tivoli systems management software. As previously reported, IBM will be relying on stripped-down, simplified versions of its server software products to appeal to midsized businesses.
At the conference, IBM will focus on the "on demand operating environment," or the software component of on-demand computing, said Bob Sutor, director of Web services technology at IBM.
"What we're focusing on (now) is the integration aspects of on-demand, which is about being as flexible as possible in responding to customer needs as quickly as possible. That's what it comes down to," Sutor said.
IBM will unveil WebSphere Application Server Enterprise version 5. The upgrade to WebSphere will offer business process workflow capabilities, or the ability to design an application that automates a sequence of business transactions with a visual tool.
The workflow capabilities, which IBM calls choreography, will be based on emerging Web services standards. WebSphere Application Server Enterprise costs $25,000 (£15,645) per server processor.
IBM will also introduce a software development tool aimed specifically at integrating applications, part of Big Blue's effort to help companies share data between disparate systems.
WebSphere Studio Application Developer Integration Edition version 5, which costs $6,000 (£3,755) per developer seat, is targeted at programmers who want to create new applications by integrating data and processes from existing systems.
The latest Web services-related enhancements to WebSphere are designed to help IBM customers and business partners build more sophisticated applications.
Web services standards are Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based, which makes it easier to exchange information between disparate systems. While many business applications are notoriously difficult to maintain and customise, Web services-based tools will help companies be more responsive to a business change, Sutor said.
Big Blue on Monday will also launch a series of programs to draw developers and partners to its Web services software. The programs include software tools, training and documentation to explain the benefits of using Web services.
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