| On demand operating environments, with their collective computing resources, provide a more systemic type of business value. Rather than a hodgepodge of proprietary interfaces and inefficient links, these environments give users "virtual" control over disparate systems and applications, effectively fusing them into an integrated and coherent whole. The open standards on which an on demand operating environment is built enable different systems to work together, so a business's various processes can be integrated and transactions can be done faster ”or even automatically. Benefits include significantly improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness , and built-in flexibility. Free from the need to see or directly manage the complexity of the infrastructure, users will be able to respond to business conditions with unprecedented speed and agility. Given the power to dynamically reshape their IT resources, users can implement their core business goals, capitalizing on changing marketplace conditions rather than dreading them. Unlike some previous phases of computing, developing an on demand operating environment does not mean companies have to rip out their existing computer systems and start from scratch. Existing systems and processes can be integrated in some cases with the basic first step of server consolidation. As systems are consolidated and integrated into internal or external computing grids, the collected capacity can be used more efficiently, so existing systems work harder and deliver more output. And often, the savings generated by simply running systems more efficiently can be invested to help fund further on demand development. The new offerings provide integration, virtualization, automation, and flexibility ”critical elements of on demand solutions. They include the following: -
TotalStorage virtualization family, data as a single pool -
WebSphere virtualization for grids, managing disparate apps -
Variable Open Infrastructure Offering, flexible financing -
Stand-by capacity on demand, blades on call Currently, customers only use about 20 percent of the server capacity they have installed and paid for. IBM's On Demand Business initiative will help drive utilization rates up to 40 percent or more, delivering significant cost savings. Storage efficiency is equally startling: average storage utilization stands at only 48 percent and can be improved by 20 percent or more. Here are some specifics on how the new products and services help customers build their on demand operating environments. Driving Integration An on demand operating environment drives the integration of people, business process, and information anywhere , any time, from any device. Through the advanced capabilities found in the latest WebSphere and DAB offerings including IBM Business Integration, IBM Collaboration Portal, and IBM Information Integration, capabilities from across IBM are being packaged, tested , and priced to simplify and support customers' business priorities. Enabling Automation A typical infrastructure includes a variety of systems running different applications to support the overall e-business. At any given time, one system could slow down the entire operation if it becomes overloaded. By using IBM's automated Availability Management, Web Server Provisioning, or IBM eServer zSeries Optimization tools to balance the workloads on their infrastructure, customers can prevent this. IBM User Management is also available to automate system security. By enabling the systems to virtually manage themselves , customers can focus their efforts and resources on other projects. Employing Virtualization Virtualization technology helps customers see the resources they have and how they are being used and enables them to assign additional workloads to any servers, storage, or distributed systems that are not being fully utilized. By leveraging virtualization to pool the resources throughout the customer's entire network, IBM is helping them overcome the business silos that have developed through years of IT expansion. Depending on the customer's size and needs, an IBM eServer zSeries Linux consolidation; iSeries Linux, NT, and UNIX consolidation; or a virtual Linux server solution could be employed today to boost the customer's productivity. IBM also offers pSeries, xSeries, and Enterprise Storage Server consolidation opportunities that leverage virtualization technology. Offering Flexibility The idea of on demand is to offer customers exactly what they need, when they need it. Today, on demand has been expanded to include stand-by capacity on demand, which allows TotalStorage and IBM eServer BladeCenter customers to install more systems than they need and only pay for them after they are used. IBM is also offering customers its new Variable Open Infrastructure on demand, which makes it easier for customers to pay for and expand their infrastructure as business needs dictate . |
