Zoo and Aquarium Association Uses IBM Cloud Technology to Support Endangered Species Program

SYDNEY and ARMONK, N.Y., June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that the Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australia is using IBM cloud-based social collaboration services to help the organization accelerate its endangered species program.  IBM is helping to speed up knowledge transfer and encouraging collaboration on priority projects across 90 zoos and aquariums in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

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The cloud solution was donated though the IBM Trailblazer program which was established in 2010 to provide software, services and consulting grants to respond directly to the needs of local non-profit organizations to improve their effectiveness. Association members, such as keepers and planners, are using the software to help support the longevity of endangered species through breeding programs, which are amongst the largest in the world.

'LotusLive™ Engage is an integrated suite of social collaboration tools that combine a company's business social network with capabilities such as file storing and sharing, instant messaging, Web conferencing and activity management.   This seamless, security-rich integration allows users to share and edit information, host online meetings  and manage activities easily inside and outside company boundaries.

Martin Phillips, Executive Director, Zoo and Aquarium Association said, "The LotusLive solution allows us to coordinate programs across regions much more easily and quickly. It also assists us in sharing educational resources and encourages collaboration on priority projects such as the grey nurse shark captive management plan, which is the first of its kind in the world. Knowing that this knowledge-sharing takes place within a stable and secure environment offers peace of mind."

"As our knowledge and use of the software grows, we anticipate some key future benefits for our keepers who are often on the ground with animals and do not have easy access to a desktop computer. LotusLive has the potential to enable keepers to log into the Cloud from the field via a mobile device and search for a specialist in real-time anywhere across the APAC region.

"Organizations of all sizes are reaping the benefits of social networking and collaboration in the cloud," said Andrew Hocking, Corporate Citizenship & Affairs Manager, IBM Australia and New Zealand. "The Zoo and Aquarium Association is passionate about the survival of many of the world's endangered species, and we are honored that our technology will help ZAA achieve its goals."

The Zoo and Aquarium Association worked with IBM, along with Business Partner, Task Exchange, who assisted in implementation and training.

For more information on the Zoo and Aquarium Association, please visit:  http://www.zooaquarium.org.au/

For more information on IBM LotusLive please visit: https://www.lotuslive.com/en/

For more information on IBM Trailblazer Grants please visit: http://www.ibm.com/ibm/ibmgives/

For more information on Task Exchange please visit: http://www.taskexchange.net/

About IBM Cloud Computing

IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud based transactions every day. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about IBM cloud solutions, visit www.ibm.com/smartcloud.

Contact: Hanna Smigala
IBM Communications
720-342-5343
[email protected]

SOURCE IBM