MORE FOCUS IBM ON THE MID-MARKET BY INTRODUCING NEW SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS
EXPRESS Portfolio Expands With Offerings Designed to Improve IT Infrastructure Resiliency and Manageability
London - April 28 2004 - IBM today announced a series of new offerings specifically designed and priced to support small and medium businesses and make companies' Information Technology infrastructures more manageable, resilient and cost efficient. Through providing services that enable companies to fully integrate their technology, people and processes, IBM continues to support SMB clients in meeting their on demand strategies in the increasingly challenging environment they operate in.
The four new services offerings for IT infrastructure resiliency and manageability are part of IBM's expanding express portfolio that since its inception in June last year, now contains over 50 products, services, and solutions from across the business in EMEA, specifically designed and priced to support SMB clients. The new IBM express solutions include a service through which IBM remotely monitors and manages the customer's complete technology infrastructure and a new package that helps SMB clients improve availability of their eServer iSeries systems, leveraging technology from IBM Independent Software Partners (ISVs).
"SMB clients face the same competitive challenges as large companies and cannot afford for their systems to go down. By enhancing our express portfolio with solutions that can be delivered as a service, we aim to enable SMB clients to cost effectively manage and safeguard their IT infrastructure against the threat of attack," said Massimo Bonciani, Vice President, Small and Medium Business, IBM Europe, Middle East, Africa.
In the on demand environment that enterprises are operating in today, IT infrastructures are growing increasingly complex as companies need to be electronically connected with customers, suppliers and partners. As the need for communication grows, the resources required to maintain peak performance become more labour intensive and require a more diverse skills set given the multiple computing environment. For mid-size businesses, which often have smaller information technology staff (IT), these tasks often become overwhelming. SMB clients are searching for technology solutions that are designed to keep them running and optimize their network capabilities.
As a result IBM, through its express development process, has identified several key areas where complementary services from IBM can reduce the cost and complexity of systems management, to enable better use of assets, improve availability, and resiliency based on business policy and objectives. In today's on demand business environment, SMB clients need to have confidence that their systems will not fail and need to mitigate the impact, in case failure does occur.
European clients such as Ros Casares, a Spanish iron and steel distributor, Ranstad, a U.K. based employment agency and Honkarakenne, a Finnish log home manufacturer with offices spread around the world, have all turned to IBM to help them manage the complexity of their desktop systems, protect against network attacks, and provide significant cost reductions through consolidation and standardization of IT systems.
"In recent years, offering effective IT support to our smaller offices in the UK has been difficult," said Patrick Green, director of Business Services, Randstad Employment Bureau, UK. "IBM's capacity to reach all of our 100 UK locations and 400 staff with its on demand Desktop Management Service means that we can expect to reduce our yearly IT spend and management costs by approximately 40 percent. We also hope to be able to open new offices much more quickly, since we can now leave all the associated IT installation issues to IBM."
"IBM's express solutions suit us very well and help us to direct our own IT resources to our core business. The service can be scaled up and down along our needs and the costs are well predictable. In addition, we are able to standardize our IT environment and improve the security. IBM's ability to provide global support is important for us," says Honkarakenne's IT manager Jyrki Perämäki.
To address these growing issues IBM delivered four new IT Infrastructure management solutions:
IBM Network Operations and Management Services - designed to free mid-size businesses from the day-to-day management of their computing infrastructure, this comprehensive service enables IBM to remotely monitor the customer's network seven days per week, twenty-four hours per day. The solution tracks network performance, system health and component problems and delivers software and firmware updates vital to the businesses infrastructure. The IBM service provides customers monthly and real time on-line reports on system performance and status. Customers can are access a secure Internet portal to view network status in "real time," helping administrators identify issues immediately.
IBM Infrastructure Recovery Services for mid-market - a competitively-priced service which helps mid-size businesses take the first step in building a comprehensive business recovery plan to prepare for unforeseen business interruptions. This service includes a two-day consulting workshop in which IBM and the customer collaborate to build a customized recovery plan using IBM methodologies. Customers also have the option of running a recovery exercise. The service, which is part of IBM's business and continuity recovery services' also provides a re-configured eServer iSeries or pSeries system for temporary use during an outage emergency.
IBM Desktop Management Services was designed by IBM Research exclusively for SMB clients to help them fight against unplanned network attacks. Using more than 40 patent-pending technologies, the package provides an affordable solution to this growing problem that stretches SMB clients IT resources. IBM's remote management solution provides a comprehensive service including: auto inventory management, data backup and recovery, network monitoring, automatic software and image downloading, virtual help desk with auto password reset for PCs and any first level end user issues.
IBM High Availability express Portfolio Solution for iSeries - this new solutions brings IBM's experience in delivering enterprise-class business continuity capabilities to mid-sized customers who require around the clock availability of their IT operations. The solution leverages the power of IBM eServer iSeries HA810 and legacy AS/400 systems, proving the legendary reliability of the iSeries, plus new on demand processor capacity upgrades daily, if needed. It also helps customers improve overall IT asset utilization and protects against potential loss of business due to unplanned down time.
The IBM High Availability express Portfolio Solution allows customers to link multiple iSeries systems via high-function third-party software from various vendors, including Data Mirror, iTera, Lakeview Technology, Maximum Availability, Trader's and Vision Solutions. Where applicable, this high-availability offering also comes with 24x7 SupportLine access and one year of prepaid maintenance and installation.
"With its express offerings, IBM configures products to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses. For example, in this market, there is growing recognition of the role of infrastructure in delivering the security and resilience needed in trading partner networks. The new announcements extend the express portfolio and enable IBM to offer express-branded packages across a wider range of enabling technology, infrastructure and business solutions. Express includes service offers and whole-solution financing. The announcements confirm IBM's commitment to, and competitiveness in, the small and medium sized business marketplace,"
says Peter Thorne, Director of Consulting at IT analyst firm, Cambashi.
IBM's Express Portfolio
The IBM express Portfolio offers hardware, middleware, services and financing -all tailored to the needs of mid-size businesses- for comprehensive technology solutions that can be acquired, installed and managed quickly, are cost-effective, and show a rapid return on investment (ROI). IBM currently has over 50 offerings available in the EMEA IBM Express Portfolio all supporting a flexible IT infrastructure that improves responsiveness to customers and is easy to use so customers can concentrate on their core business. And because cash flow is one of the most pressing issues for mid-sized businesses, the IBM Express Portfolio is made affordable with a series of attractive financing options. To learn more about IBM's Express Portfolio visit: www.ibm.com
About IBM
With over 90 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate, IBM is the world's largest information technology company. IBM is a leading provider of e-business solutions and is dedicated to helping companies, Business Partners and developers leverage the potential of the Internet and network computing across a wide range of businesses and industries. The company offers a host of cross-industry and industry specific solutions designed to meet the needs of companies of all sizes. For more information on IBM, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/businesscenter.
IBM Global Financing offer a range of financing options to help businesses acquire SMB Express Solutions today and spread the costs over time. IBM Global Financing terms and conditions and other restrictions may apply.
Monthly payments provided are for planning purposes only and may vary based on customer credit and other factors. Rates and offerings are subject to change, extension or withdrawal without notice.
Voor meer informatie:
Ester Riemersma
Communications/PR
IBM Nederland N.V.
Tel. +31 (0)20 - 513 3505
Mobile +31 (0)6 51551332
e-mail ester_riemersma@nl.ibm.com
PLEASE NOTE: not in the office on Friday