New IBM Systems Help Communications Service Providers Deliver Mobile and Telco Clouds

ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced its continued support for the virtualization of network infrastructures that further extend the benefits of a cloud delivery model to communications networks. This announcement is part of an ongoing campaign to help communications service providers (CSPs) take full advantage of the cloud using IBM Systems in order to meet increasing network traffic demands, lower costs and reduce the time needed to deploy new services.

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A flexible infrastructure is becoming increasingly critical as more organizations realize the benefits of becoming mobile enterprises. With 80 percent of corporate data originating on IBM mainframes, the new IBM System z Solution for Mobile Computing can help clients to utilize the mainframe as the system of record to quickly extend enterprise applications that create new forms of client interaction and boost the bottom line.

The offering can provide a cost-competitive and differentiated environment for enterprises that are looking to integrate enterprise applications with mobile on-the-go services. It provides organizations with the capability to leverage existing data and transactions, while increasing the benefits, security and return on investment from their current System z infrastructure environment.

The benefits that System z brings to telecommunications clients are illustrated by Algar Telecom, a telecommunications company headquartered in Uberlandia, Brazil. Algar needed to upgrade its infrastructure and move to a new solution that offered simpler maintenance, lower total cost of ownership, and greater reliability and flexibility. With support from IBM Systems and Technology Group Lab Services, Algar consolidated more than 90 existing servers to one IBM zEnterprise server running virtualized Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers on IBM z/VM technology. By consolidating to the IBM zEnterprise, Algar Telecom simplified its IT infrastructure, reduced data center floor space, and realized a 70 percent savings in energy and cooling expenses.

"We invited a number of technology vendors to make proposals, and IBM's offering stood out as the only solution that gave us everything we wanted in one integrated package," notes Rogerio Okada, IT Manager, Algar Telecom, "We have completely transformed our infrastructure and the way in which we manage it with the IBM zEnterprise System. We estimate that our operational efficiency has increased by at least 30 percent as a result. With our core business applications running on the most reliable and secure platform in the marketplace, we can deliver better service to more customers and focus on growing a better business."

IBM will also offer a new capability for clients that require -48 volt DC power in their datacenters. A -48V DC power requirement is common for telecommunications clients and IBM will enhance the Flex system portfolio with a -48 volt DC power capability to meet these unique requirements.  This will be in addition to the AC power and planned high voltage DC power options for the Flex System Chassis.  IBM will support the full range of Flex System compute, storage and networking nodes with this offering.

Many of these new offerings are already being evaluated by clients.  For example, IBM and Virtual EPC (vEPC) Partner Connectem Inc. have successfully conducted and completed trials on IBM PureFlex with Tier 1 carriers in North America, Japan and Korea. 

Another example is Terrakom, a Croatian telecommunication services provider focused on hosting and cable-based telecommunication services.  Terrakom has deployed IBM Flex Systems to provision private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructures. Because IBM Flex Systems are designed to provide easy implementation of cloud applications, since deployment Terrakom has been able to deliver applications within four minutes of a client service request, effectively making the company into an IaaS services provider as well.

IBM Systems and Technology Group offers a full range of offerings supporting public, private and hybrid cloud implementations that integrate with IBM's cloud software and services. The portfolio includes IBM System x racks and BladeCenter, NeXtScale, PureFlex, Power Systems, System z servers, and IBM Storage solutions. Many of these offerings are specially designed to help communications service providers speed deployment of new services and also assist Business Partners as they create new solutions tailored for telecom clients.  

IBM will demonstrate the new offerings during the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at booth #3H30.

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SOURCE IBM