IBM Launches UK-Based Cloud Support Programme

IBM has opened its second European Cloud Computing Lab (CCL) to help its business partner network move their applications and services to a cloud-based architecture. The centre will also cover the sales and marketing skills required for this new market.

Is The Cloud Creating Better IT? – Join The eWeek Webinar, 13:00 BST October 27, 2010

The facility in the IBM Innovation Centre at Hursley near Southampton joins similar labs in Ireland and nine other countries. It will allow third-party developers to access IBM’s cloud services and its Cast Iron development team in a co-operative venture that will allow them to meet the new customer expectations of the services-based environment. IBM acquired integration specialist Cast Iron earlier this year.

Maximising Cloud Impact

A typical project, the company said, would allow a partner to explore various cloud computing models to find one that suits their product range. Maxima, an IT business systems and managed services company, recently developed a cloud based service for its 1,400 mid-market customers in the construction, manufacturing and distribution, financial services, telecommunications, and public sector industries.

“Businesses are looking for reliable performance and security in cloud services,” said Graham Kingsmill, the CEO of Maxima. “The combination of Maxima and IBM cloud services addresses these issues and can help our joint clients and resellers grow their business and reach new markets.”

A survey taken at IBM’s recent DeveloperWorks conference found that 91 percent of the 2,000 respondents expected cloud computing to overtake on-premise computing as the primary way organisations acquire IT by 2015. Gartner estimates that the market will be worth $148.8 billion by 2014.

Ben Pring, research vice-president at Gartner, noted the increasing number of IT vendors investigating cloud-based services. “After many years of germination, most notably in the Software-as-a-Service arena, the core ideas at the heart of cloud computing – such as pay for use, multi-tenancy and external services – appear to be resonating more strongly,” he said.

Partners across the globe can access the lab through any of IBM’s 38 Innovation Centres. This will enable them to work virtually with the cloud experts at Hursley.

“Our business partners are ready to cash-in on cloud computing, and they are looking to IBM for hands-on assistance to drive new business opportunities,” said Jim Corgel, general manager of IBM’s ISV and Developer Relations division. “The new Cloud Computing Lab will help our partners gain the skills they need to build next generation business applications and services for the cloud using IBM technologies.”

The lab was launched less than a week after arch-rival Hewlett-Packard came out with a new programme to help enterprises build their own private clouds

private cloud systems, IBM announced that it, too, is now offering technical help for large-enterprise customers who want to migrate to the cloud.

In a recent IBM developerWorks survey of 2,000 IT professionals from 87 countries, a whopping 91 percent of respondents said they anticipate cloud computing to overtake on-premise computing as the primary way organisations acquire IT by 2015.

Industry analysts including Enterprise Strategy Group, Gartner Research, Forrrester Research and IDG have predicted significant growth for cloud computing services, estimating that this year’s $68 billion (£43bn) opportunity will reach nearly $150bn by 2014.