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IBM LogoThe month of January started out the new year with a flurry of announcements in hardware, software, services, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. The complete index of IBM Happenings (by year and month) is here. One of the major focus areas for IBM in 2009 will continue to be related to clouds.
IBM revealed a comprehensive series of new products, services, clients and partnerships for its Blue Cloud initiative — a collaborative approach the company is using to develop and test integrated cloud solutions for businesses. While Google, Apple, Microsoft and others battle it out for email and document cloud services for consumers — much like the browser wars of the 1990’s — IBM is focusing on the enterprise. The company has a wide portfolio of cloud computing offerings for business, such as server capacity on demand, online data protection, Lotus e-mail and collaboration software, testing environments, and high performance computing for research and education. Customers in the pharmaceutical industry, for example, have selected IBM’s Computing on Demand Cloud Services because it provides a highly secure and scalable storage and computing environment. Very large companies often want to build their own clouds and for them IBM offers Infrastructure Consulting Services for Cloud Computing and Infrastructure Strategy and Planning for Cloud Computing. IBM experts conduct workshops to help the customers develop clouds that are based on tried and true (and blue) solutions. I suppose many companies feel that building their clouds with “blue” will mean blue skies ahead for them.

List of Announcements for January 2009

IBM completes acquisition of ILOG

The ILOG Business Rule Management System, Optimization, Visualization, and Supply Chain Management portfolios will build upon IBM software and BPM leadership.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26403.wss

IBM releases “Building Smarter Retail Systems” podcast

The latest episode of the “Building a Smarter Planet” podcast series addresses changes retailers need to make in response to economic changes and empowered consumers.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26401.wss

Sara Lee, IBM sign services agreement

IBM has signed a seven-year agreement with Sara Lee Corporation to manage
and maintain pieces of the consumer products company’s global back office operations.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26347.wss

IBM helps Bank of Chengdu build banking system

Bank of Chengdu has chosen the IBM POWER 595 platform to upgrade its core banking system.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26411.wss

IBM signs IT infrastructure deal with Kotak

IBM has signed a US$5 million IT services agreement with Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited — one of India’s leading banking and financial services providers.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26404.wss

IBM reports 2008 fourth-quarter and full-year results

IBM announced fourth-quarter 2008 diluted earnings of $3.28 per share from continuing operations compared with diluted earnings of $2.80 per share in the fourth quarter of 2007, an increase of 17 percent as reported.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26510.wss

IBM announces LotusLive

IBM LotusLive, a cloud-based portfolio of social networking services, will serve as a single destination for all IBM Lotus online collaboration tools.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26508.wss

IBM and SAP announce Alloy

IBM and SAP AG will release their first joint software product, called Alloy, which
connects IBM Lotus Notes software with SAP Business Suite.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26505.wss

IBM to acquire Outblaze’s e-mail service assets

The asset acquisition will accelerate IBM’s delivery of affordable, Web-based e-mail services in a software-as-a-service model.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26486.wss

Korea Exchange Bank migrates to IBM System z10

KEB’s migration to IBM System z10 enables the bank’s credit card business to create an advanced and smarter IT environment to improve efficiency and customer service.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26490.wss

BNP Paribas, IBM sign services agreement

IBM and BNP Paribas announced an agreement for their existing joint venture, BP2I, to support and manage the IT infrastructure operations of Banca Nazionale del Lavoro.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26516.wss