IBM hails breakthroughs in cloud, virtualisation

IBM has showcased what it calls a series of technology breakthroughs that extend the firm’s capabilities in virtualisation, image management and cloud computing.

These new technologies are being pitched at helping clients better manage virtualised cloud environments to achieve greater business efficiency while controlling costs.

The crux of the announcement is that the new software that can virtualise a data center within minutes to instantly meet business demand.

The firm’s new virtual deployment software is now in open beta which allows organisations to quickly build a cloud environment. "The software has unmatched dynamic provisioning and scheduling of server resources, two capabilities at the core of cloud functionality,” says IBM.

A new "image management" system has also been revealed that aims to help organisations install, configure and automate the creation of new virtual machines better than ever before.

"These new technologies deliver a definitive step forward in simplifying the way IT staff can manage the cloud," said Ric Telford, vice president of Cloud Services, IBM. "They come at a critical time for businesses as the demand for computing resources and new services are becoming nearly insatiable, despite generally stagnate budgets. IBM is delivering again on our promise of leading cloud innovation with a focus on fundamentally transforming the economics of IT."

In its announcement IBM pointed out that IDC expects spending on cloud-related technologies, hardware and software to reach US$45 billion by 2013.

You can find out more about IBM’s cloud offerings here.