ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 20,
2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today
announced that it is bringing a greater level of control, security
and flexibility to cloud-based application development and delivery
with a single-tenant version of Bluemix, IBM's
platform-as-a-service. The new platform enables developers to build
applications around their most sensitive data and deploy them in a
dedicated cloud environment to help them capture the benefits of
cloud while avoiding the compliance, regulatory and performance
issues that are presented with public clouds.
IBM is also introducing a new, private API catalog on its public
instance of Bluemix. which will help developers to more easily
access their on-premise data as their organizations experiment with
and build hybrid cloud strategies. Building on its global expansion
of developer resources and tools, IBM also announced it is
expanding its Bluemix Garage network to Canary Wharf Group's
Level39, Europe's largest
accelerator space for financial, retail and future cities tech
companies, and expanding the public Bluemix catalogue to its
London datacenter.
More organizations are developing and working on the cloud. Over
the next four to five years, the community of developers will
triple – creating a 10-fold increase in the number of new
cloud-based solutions. Additionally, nearly half of large
enterprises will be using hybrid clouds, a combination of public
and private cloud environments, by the end of 2017. With access to
services and APIs from across the tech industry, IBM's platform-as
a service helps developers build and deploy cloud innovations which
seamlessly connect data from back end systems of
record where data and transactions are processed with systems of
engagement such as mobile and social applications.
"The cloud is opening up new possibilities for app development
by making it easier for developers to scale and integrate their
data in ways which were never before possible" said Steve Robinson, General Manager, IBM Cloud
Platform Services. "With Bluemix Dedicated now available in our
global cloud center network, IBM is adding another onramp to the
cloud for developers to move quickly and innovate but do so in a
model that maintains the necessary levels of security and
control."
Bluemix Dedicated; Bringing more control to cloud-based
application development
Announced today, Bluemix Dedicated provides access to a
collaborative, cloud-based platform in a single tenant environment,
hosted in an IBM cloud center of an organization's choice to allow
for maximum control over where data resides. Supported with
dedicated hardware from within a SoftLayer cloud center and direct
network connectivity to the enterprise, Bluemix Dedicated will give
users the unique benefits of SoftLayer – including a built-in
private network and unparalleled control and workload visibility –
and will initially offer runtime capability along with a core set
of services, with plans to expand. Initial services available
include:
- Cloudant's scalable, high-performance
Database-as-a-Service
- Data caching to improve the speed and
responsiveness of web apps
- Runtimes to give developers the
flexibility to run their apps in the coding language of their
choice
Using their most sensitive data, developers can build and run
apps in Bluemix Dedicated, as well as pull in services from IBM's
public Bluemix catalogue, such as Watson APIs for cognitive
computing, social data analytics and Aspera's rapid data
integration tools. Coupled with IBM's growing network of local
cloud centers, Bluemix Dedicated helps clients address concerns
over data sovereignty, performance and compliance by giving them
more control over the physical location of their data and
production environments – enabling them to build mission-critical
apps locally and scale globally.
For example, a UK-based retailer looking to drive sales during
the holiday season could build and deploy a shopping application in
a Bluemix Dedicated environment in IBM's London cloud center to help it avoid the
performance issues that can be presented by the noisy-neighbor
problem in public clouds.
Private APIs to Help Enterprises Transition to Cloud
IBM is also introducing a new Private API catalog to help
developers gain the most out of their on premise data as they move
to the cloud. The Private API catalogue allows developers to build
a secure connection between on-premise systems of record and IBM's
public Bluemix catalogue through an established dedicated tunnel;
turning internal data into consumable services for internal
developers and third parties to build applications on top of.
For example, the same aforementioned retailer, looking to drive
more personal interactions with customers, can now use Bluemix's
Private API catalog to turn its customer database – living in its
back-end, private infrastructure - into a secure, consumable API.
This API can then be used to build a mobile app which can evaluate
and make sense of buying habits via analytics. Matching it with
geospatial tools also available on Bluemix, the retailer could
enable push notifications to users, alerting them to relevant sales
offerings when they are near the company's brick-and-mortar
stores.
Bluemix Garage at Level39 to Further Fuel Cloud Innovation in
the UK
Building on the success of the Bluemix Garage in San Francisco,
the newest addition to the Bluemix Garage network will open in
Level39, Europe's largest tech
accelerator based in London. This
Garage will serve as a central location for UK developers, product
managers and designers – from both startups and enterprises alike –
to collaborate with IBM consultants, as well as outside developers
and entrepreneurs, to build the next generation of cloud apps.
Bluemix Garages help redefine how developers use the cloud to
turn new ideas into products, helping to evolve them based on
market feedback, as well as scale and integrate them with client
systems through IBM Bluemix.
As part of that process, IBM will be working in conjunction with
Canary Wharf Group's accelerator space, Level39, to engage with
Europe's premier fintech sector.
IBM will work with Level39 to enable startups in the financial
technology sector, as well as other industries, to access
cutting-edge development tools, consulting resources and
face-to-face connections with other entrepreneurs, developers and
mentors to help them grow their business. Having collaborated with
Level39 on IBM SmartCamp competitions and on the recent 'Hack
[Make] the Bank' Hackathon, IBM will be expanding its engagement
with the accelerator to also include participation in Level39's
'Office Hours' mentoring program and ongoing seminar
initiatives.
"By delivering enterprise quality solutions with Bluemix, IBM is
helping innovators develop robust platforms that are far more
likely to pass the audit and compliance required when building at
this level," said Head of Level39, Eric Van
der Kleij. "This, coupled with the strategy of promoting
more open innovation and dialogue with the next generation of
brands, is why we are delighted to welcome IBM's Bluemix Garage to
our Canary Wharf tech community, working right alongside IBM's
established client base."
As they increasingly turn to the creativity of startups for
fresh approaches to industry challenges, IBM's enterprise client
base will have even greater access to UK's most talented
entrepreneurs and developers through the London Bluemix Garage. In
turn, the Garage will open the door for these startups to IBM's
extensive base of enterprise partners, equipping them with the
connections to build more functional apps and apply technology
across various industries, enabling them to monetize their
solutions more quickly.
About IBM Cloud
IBM is the leading enterprise platform for Cloud with an unmatched
portfolio of open cloud solutions to enable clients for the hybrid
cloud era with integration, control over data and expertise. IBM
Cloud has helped more than 30,000 clients around the world.
Today, IBM has 100+ cloud SaaS solutions, thousands of experts with
deep industry knowledge helping clients transform and a growing
global network of cloud centers. Since 2007, IBM has invested
more than $7 billion in 17
acquisitions to accelerate its cloud initiatives. IBM holds 1,560
cloud patents focused on driving innovation. For more information
about cloud offerings from IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com/cloud.
Follow us on Twitter at @IBMcloud and on our blog at
www.thoughtsoncloud.com. Join the conversation #ibmcloud.
CONTACT: Erin Lehr, 212-671-9363,
edlehr@us.ibm.com
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SOURCE IBM