The month of March was a busy one at IBM with a flurry of announcements in hardware, software, services, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. See the list here and an index for prior months here. One of the major focus areas for IBM in 2009 will continue to be related to a "smarter planet". See Sam Palmisano's letter to investors for the full story on why the company is so optimistic. The Internet has made the world much smaller and "flatter” and now the next turn of the crank will make the world "smarter". IBM has a vision about introducing intelligence into the way the world actually works -- into the systems and processes that enable goods to be developed, manufactured, sold, bought, transported, and serviced.
IBM intends to help make business decision makers "smarter" too. The company has announced the creation of a new consulting organization that will focus on "advanced business analytics and business optimization". What a mouthful. IBM Business Analytics and Optimization Services will draw on the company’s deep expertise in vertical industries, mathematics and information management to help clients improve the speed and quality of business decisions. The service is designed to help decision makers understand the consequences of actions under consideration and actually see business outcomes that will result.
The IBM experts and their arsenal of tools are able to construct a digital model of the client's business or a functional aspect of their business. For example, some companies have handled their distribution channel in a certain way, well because they have always handled it that way. With a digital model of their distribution channel the IBM experts could then help them simulate the many "what if" questions. What if we used trains instead of planes, company trucks instead of overnight delivery company trucks, a central distribution center or one in each region, or outsourced distribution centers managed by the overnight delivery companies. Etc. By connecting multiple digital models of the processes of a business, decision makers can see their next year's annual report in advance and see hundreds of them each based on a different combination of "what ifs". While the planet is getting smarter -- with IBM's help -- business leaders can too.
Other IBM Happenings for the month
IBM offering helps "green" government
The IBM Public Sector Energy and Environment Diagnostic can help governments
better understand their overall performance on environmental issues.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26841.wss
IBM Research, SAP demonstrate new cloud technology
In a demonstration at CeBIT, IBM and SAP previewed a technology that enables the live
migration of SAP applications across remote IBM POWER6 systems via cloud computing.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26824.wss
IBM unveils new database software
IBM's new Informix database software allows companies to both warehouse their data
and conduct ultra-fast online transactions with a simplified software platform.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26840.wss
Foxconn, IBM to deploy GreenCert in Taiwan
GreenCert is the world's first enterprise content management system that can accurately
calculate and certify the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by a facility.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26836.wss
IBM scientists track heat in rolls of carbon atoms
IBM scientists announced the development and demonstration of novel techniques
to measure the distribution of energy and heat in powered carbon nanotube devices.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26820.wss
IBM, Danish hospital pioneer smarter patient records
An IBM technology innovation for electronic patient records, using a 3D model
of the human body, has proved valuable in a first test at Thy-Mors Hospital.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26870.wss
IBM named 2009 CRN Channel Champion
The CRN Channel Champions study measures overall Solution Provider
perceptions of vendor products and services.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26881.wss
IBM introduces endpoint security offering
IBM Proventia Endpoint Secure Control is designed to enable enterprises
to escape from the constraints of vendor lock-in and to enhance endpoint
security, compliance and operations at a lower cost.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26878.wss
IBM, Dassault Systèmes help BMW deliver fuel-efficient cars
BMW will use CATIA software for the design of all BMW engines across its fuel
and diesel-powered cars and its eco-friendly, hybrid cars.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26892.wss
IBM recognized for corporate citizenship
IBM has ranked #3 overall on Corporate Responsibility Officer Magazine's
100 Best Corporate Citizens List, outranking all other information technology
companies.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26846.wss
IBM unveils technologies, services to combat water issues
IBM unveiled its first portfolio of smart water services and technologies, and a scientific
breakthrough – a more energy-efficient membrane that reliably filters out salts and deadly
toxins.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26920.wss
Corporate Service Corps to tackle problems in emerging markets
Two hundred of IBM's future leaders will take part in IBM's Corporate Service Corps program,
part of the Global Citizen's Portfolio initiative, in Brazil, China, Malaysia and South Africa.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27012.wss
IBM World Community Grid to address childhood cancer
IBM, the Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute and Chiba University in Japan are launching
a new World Community Grid project to discover a drug treatment for neuroblastoma.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26959.wss
Travelport taps IBM to enhance travel services
Travelport has selected IBM to assist in the modernization and consolidation of its data
centers into a single, Atlanta-based facility.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26995.wss
Kaiser Permanente teams with IBM
IBM and Kaiser Permanente have entered into a strategic agreement designed to ensure
the continued leadership of Kaiser Permanente's IT capabilities.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26933.wss
IBM, MedVirginia and SSA unveil health records exchange
IBM, MedVirginia and the U.S. Social Security Administration announced
a first-of-a-kind electronic records exchange system to help speed the
process of granting disability benefits for millions of Americans.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26967.wss
IBM helps modernize rapid transit in China
IBM will help Guangzhou Metro Corporation manage all of its IT and physical
assets including four commuter lines, 60 stations and more than 116 kilometers
of track.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27077.wss
Volkswagen and IBM create smart supply chain
IBM is working with Volkswagen Group, Europe's leading vehicle manufacturer,
to improve the automaker's material logistics operations through the use
of sensor technology.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27069.wss
IBM to help mortgage industry aid homeowners
IBM announced a new offering that enables mortgage loan servicers to process
large volumes of loan modification requests with greater speed, efficiency
and accuracy.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27063.wss
Ringnes taps IBM to improve logistics operations
Ringnes, Norway's largest brewery, is using IBM sensor technology to gain greater
visibility into its logistics operations to better serve retailers and consumers.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27070.wss
GTEL selects IBM to build service network
Gtel Mobile has selected IBM to build a high performance IT infrastructure, mobile
service network and a range of business solutions to support its commercial launch.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27064.wss
Complete index of IBM Happenings