IBM Introduces Software to Help Clients Reach New Mobile and Social Networks

LAS VEGAS, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At the IMPACT 2011 conference, IBM (NYSE: IBM) unveiled new software that will allow clients to develop, deploy and manage new types of applications spanning all major platforms from the mainframe to mobile devices.  The ability to expand the reach of their applications will allow businesses to grow revenue and increase their customer base by taking advantage of new and developing markets such as mobile and cloud.

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Key among the offerings is WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 8, new software that is designed to speed the development of applications and services. The new version of WAS increases a client's security and control, and delivers automated enhancements for the installation, maintenance, testing and problem resolution of business applications.

Complimenting these capabilities are new features that extend the reach of WAS to support applications from the desktop to mobile devices through support for popular smart phones and tablets such as iPad, iPhone, Droid, BlackBerry and others.  Support for these devices is critical to businesses as mobile applications constitute one of the today's largest growth areas with one recent report estimating that the global mobile applications market should grow to $25 billion by 2015 (up from $6.8 billion in 2010). (1)

WebSphere is IBM's foundation for the layer of software known as middleware that enables Web applications and computer operating systems to interoperate. Initially developed in 1997, WebSphere became one of the key catalysts for IBM's evolution beyond hardware and into software and services. As part of its centennial celebration, IBM has identified WebSphere as one of the key technology drivers that helped enabled the Web to become a platform for business computing.

There are currently more than 100,000 WebSphere clients worldwide, and one of these – heavy industry giant Caterpillar, has already begun testing how the new software can expand their applications to reach new customers.

"Caterpillar signed its first contract with IBM in 1928, meaning that we have been an IBM customer and partner for much of IBM's first century," said John Heller, Vice President and CIO Caterpillar. "As one of the early WebSphere adopters, we anticipate that the latest version of WAS will help us to develop new types of applications serving our customers in all businesses and markets."

With today's news, IBM is introducing more than 50 new products and services to its WebSphere portfolio. These products provide the backbone for tens of thousands of IT infrastructures worldwide and include:

• IBM Workload Deployer – allows companies to assemble customized cloud services with templates based on IBM best practices and features a wide range of IBM software, services and management capabilities;
• IBM WebSphere Virtual Enterprise – provides the ability to consolidate servers and enhance the utilization of existing infrastructure;
• IBM WebSphere DataPower XC10 Appliance – improves response time and lowers the risk of data loss via automatic replication, delivering high availability;
• IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS – delivers a reliable environment for high value/high volume business transactions;
• IBM WebSphere Extended Deployment Compute Grid – collaboratively shares resources between batch and on-line transactions, lowering IT costs;
• IBM WebSphere Application Accelerator – gives global reach for critical application by utilizing the internet to speed applications to customers anywhere/anytime and provides application optimization service at the "edge of the network."

"We are seeing sea changes in the way people demand access to their information and applications," said Marie Wieck, general manager, application and integration middleware, IBM.  "With today's announcement, we are helping our clients to extend key business applications beyond their traditional networks to mobile, social, cloud and other new market opportunities."

For over a decade, IBM has been named the leader in the worldwide application infrastructure and middleware software market according to industry analysts.

According to Gartner, in a worldwide application infrastructure and middleware software market worth $17.6 billion, IBM was once again the leading software vendor with 32.6 percent market share, extending its lead to nearly double that of its closest competitor. (2)

This year's IMPACT conference features more than 8,000 attendees and hundreds of client testimonials, presentations, workshops and product demos, making IMPACT 2011 the largest worldwide conference created to meet the growing demand for an educational forum around business agility.

For more information on all of the new products and services or for details on how IBM is helping clients and Business Partners to make smarter, faster decisions, visit: www.ibm.software/websphere.

(1) MarketsandMarkets' 'World Mobile Applications Market (2010 – 2015)'

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

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SOURCE IBM