Report: IBM "Leads the Pack" in Global Infrastructure Outsourcing; Support for Hybrid Cloud Computing Tops IO Agenda

IBM a leader "by a substantial margin" in evaluation of 13 suppliers; cloud services cited

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Feb 25, 2015, 02:00 ET

ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that Forrester Research has positioned the company as the leading supplier in the global infrastructure outsourcing segment, based on an evaluation of most significant suppliers.

Members of IBM's Managed Storage Services team discuss security requirements for a client's backup and restore virtual environment in IBM's Global Delivery Center in Boulder, Colorado. Forrester Research named IBM the leading supplier in global infrastructure outsourcing, based on a survey of 13 top firms, saying IBM "leads the pack" by a substantial margin. (Photo credit: IBM)

In a new report, "The Forrester Wave™: Global Infrastructure Outsourcing, Q1 2015," IBM scored the highest or among the highest among 13 suppliers across all three high-level evaluation criteria: Strategy, Current Offering and Market Presence. Forrester recognized IBM's vision for the future of infrastructure services, noting that cloud services has become a major element of IBM's infrastructure management strategy.

Forrester estimates the global infrastructure outsourcing opportunity is $187.5 billion worldwide, with North America comprising nearly 58 percent of this total. Infrastructure outsourcing services remain critically important as enterprises prepare their infrastructure for the digital age. Outsourcing providers are beginning to emphasize qualities that include predictability through analytics, self-healing with autonomic computing and automation, and self-service with adaptation to cloud models and use of service "stores."

IBM leads the pack by a substantial margin, and views the current infrastructure management services market as the age of outcomes, IP, and automation, the report says. The report also notes IBM is pursuing a variety of initiatives, including automation with IBM Workload Automation and integration across systems of record and systems of engagement, and that since its acquisition of SoftLayer Technologies in 2013, cloud services have become a major element of its infrastructure management strategy.

"The model for enterprise IT is rapidly changing as more clients look to deploy new cloud-based systems of engagement and integrate them with their existing data center infrastructure," said Richard Patterson, General Manager for Infrastructure Services at IBM. "We believe this Forrester Wave report is strong recognition of how IBM is leading this industry shift, and our success in helping clients design, build and run their increasingly hybrid IT environments to advance their business agenda."

In the report, Forrester observes IBM's "enormous market presence" -- the largest of all the companies included in Forrester's analysis. The report also says IBM has a very strong vision for the future of infrastructure services and a very well-balanced global delivery model.

The report notes that support for hybrid cloud computing tops the infrastructure outsourcing agenda: "A transition to a cloud-based outsourcing market is also clearly underway, although it's still in its early stages. One manifestation of this shift entails a move from conventional infrastructure delivery to a cloud-based approach. Meanwhile, suppliers are moving to encompass both conventional infrastructure delivery and cloud-based delivery from a service management perspective."

Since its acquisition of SoftLayer in 2013, IBM has made cloud services a major component of its infrastructure services strategy. For example, IBM recently announced infrastructure services agreements with large enterprise clients including WPP, ABN Amro, Lufthansa and WOOX Innovations that will include the implementation of new cloud solutions into their existing IT infrastructure.

For more information about IBM infrastructure services, visit: http://ibm.com/services