IBM Announces New Business Integration Software, New Clients and Performance Leadership

ARMONK, N.Y., July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) said today that new software, clients and performance benchmark results demonstrate its leadership in the business integration market.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO)

Today's news highlights:

• IBM's new WebSphere Application Server is now shipping, along with a range of new features for businesses. The new software helps clients accelerate the development and delivery of applications and services for mobile devices, cloud computing and social media.
• Clients including Blue Cross Blue Shield, USAA, the State of New Jersey Department of Human Services and Homeloans Management Limited are using IBM business integration software to reach and support their customers.  
• Record-breaking results for WebSphere middleware as validated by SPECjEnterprise 2010, an industry standard online transaction processing benchmark commonly used to compare the performance of middleware software for online transaction processing applications.

Gartner recently named IBM the leading software vendor for the tenth consecutive year in the $17.6 billion application infrastructure and middleware software market with a 32.6 percent market share. (1)

Availability of New Products Fuel Growth

WebSphere Application Server is IBM's foundation for the layer of software known as middleware. Among the new capabilities in the latest version are features that let customers develop mobile and user-friendly content that includes interactive components such as charts, gauges, maps, diagrams, buttons, lists, transitions, animations and more.

"The new software brings further major enhancements in all important aspects such as programming models, performance, ease-of-use and operational efficiency," said Joachim Gucker, COO of ARS Computer and Consulting GmbH. "Looking ahead it is clear that WebSphere will play an important role in helping us to continue meeting the evolving needs of customers."

To extend this experience to the greatest number of mobile users, the new software now also supports a wide array of smartphones and tablets such as the iPad, iPhone, Droid and BlackBerry, ensuring that applications deliver a look, feel and user experience similar to the native device. This capability is vital for expanding businesses, with IDC reporting that the mobile workforce surpassed 1 billion last year. (2)

IBM Software Helps Clients Transform for Growth

There are currently more than 100,000 companies worldwide gaining business benefits from IBM business integration software, including USAA, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the State of New Jersey Department of Human Services and Homeloans Management Limited (HML).

"We were specifically impressed with the enhanced installation capabilities and its heightened performance, both of which will be a great benefit to our entire organization," said Balaji Madala, IT Specialist, Department of Human Services, New Jersey.

After a competitive evaluation, USAA, a financial services provider serving members of the military, veterans and their families, chose IBM business integration software to expand delivery of its financial service portfolio across multiple market channels. USAA is now able to serve its members more rapidly by streamlining the product and service design and delivery process.

IBM client Homeloans Management Limited, a leading UK-based financial services firm, is using IBM software to improve business processes across its credit management, call center and customer mortgage departments. Market conditions and new regulations prompted HML to choose IBM to streamline and accelerate its existing business processes. HML needed an agile and flexible system that could be customized rapidly to meet ever-changing government requirements.

Prior to using the IBM solution, HML lacked an efficient account management system. Without an overarching view of the status of an account, numerous, overlapping HML representatives were contacting customers – leading to growing customer dissatisfaction. The new system provides prompts to coach and guide call center staff, improving customer service by preventing redundant contact with valued customers.

Performance Leadership

Key to WebSphere's success within the middleware segment is IBM's continued investment in product performance, a commitment that has once again resulted in industry leading benchmarks.

In the first test of WebSphere Application Server V8.0, IBM announced record-breaking performance results, and was named performance leaders in two out of three categories according to the SPECjEnterprise 2010 benchmark. (3) By delivering the highest performance in the information technology (IT) industry, WebSphere Application Server 8.0 gives companies more responsive business applications that can help them serve their customers more quickly and efficiently while delivering cost savings.

A History of Innovation

WebSphere has earned more than 700 patents earned across this portfolio since it was first launched in 1998, contributing to IBM's 18 year record topping the list of the world's most inventive companies. Beginning with WebSphere Application Server, these offerings parallel the evolution of the Web itself from static pages, sites and content to today's landscape of dynamic services, programs and real-time processing of all kinds of data and media. Among application servers, WebSphere has been a key driver in transforming the Web into a platform for business computing.

WebSphere was recently named as one of the top innovations in IBM's 100-year history as part of the company's Centennial celebration this year.

The history of WebSphere as part of IBM's Centennial is chronicled in a documentary video with Steve Mills, senior vice president, IBM Software Group and Systems Group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk___LFgnxU and on the IBM Icon of Progress website at http://www.ibm.com/ibm100/us/en/icons/.

(1) Gartner, Inc., Market Share: All Software Markets, Worldwide, 2010, March 30, 2011.

(2) IDC (2010) 'More Than One Billion Mobile Workers Worldwide by Year's End, According to IDC',IDC Press Release, 18 February.

(3) WAS V8 running on IBM HS 22 blade server out performed Oracle WebLogic 10.3.3 running on SPARC T3-4 by 109% in EjOPS/core as validated by the independent SPEC benchmark organization.

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All other company, product or service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of others. Statements concerning IBM's future development plans and schedules are made for planning purposes only, and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Reseller prices may vary.

SOURCE IBM