Addressing The IT Labor Challenge

Back in April, I blogged here about the new IBM PureSystems line of servers that have been in the works for some years and backed by $2 billion in investment by IBM.

Here we are a few short months later, and we’re seeing some substantial uptake of this new line, including in growth markets.

Just a few updates:

• Over 700 IBM Business Partners have now adopted IBM PureSystems, and 1,300 of those have completed training on the new lines
• 160+ solutions and “patterns” of expertise have been developed both by IBM and our partners across 20 industries
• New financing options now all for organizations to defer the first payment for IBM PureSystems for 30 days

Organizations around the world are increasingly looking for ways to reduce IT complexity and overcome the growing worldwide skills shortage. Today, approximately three-quarters of global employers cite a lack of experience, skills or knowledge as the primary reason for the difficulty filling IT positions.

Egads!

Because of this, organizations are searching for new ways of computing that don’t require the additional commitment of significant resources or employee training to set up and maintain.

And voila, IBM PureSystems.

PureSystems meets this demand by providing patterns of expertise –- a new technology model that builds on the experience of thousands of IBM clients and radically streamlines the set-up and management of hardware and software resources.

Global Clients Embrace IBM PureSystems  

Since launching in April, clients around the world are using IBM PureSystems to reduce IT cost and complexity. For example:

• BPTP, a leading Indian real estate company, selected IBM PureSystems to streamline its IT infrastructure to improve the overall home buying experience for its customers. Established in 2003, BPTP has experienced rapid growth over the last decade. Sustaining and building upon this growth required BPTP to find a better computing and storage solution. To meet these challenges, it selected IBM PureSystems for all of its processing and storage requirements.
• PCCW, a leading information technology outsourcing company based in Hong Kong, has selected IBM PureSystems as the foundation for its new Enterprise Solutions Superstore — an online environment for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). As a result, they are now able to offer customers applications on the cloud using a Software-as-a-Service model.
• ValeCard, a multi-industry conglomerate based in Brazil, has achieved 40 percent growth annually over the past three-years. Facing rapid expansion of its business, ValeCard turned to IBM PureSystems to manage thousands of transaction records from contracts with large companies and government entities. Additionally, ValeCard is using IBM PureSystems to help it meet an increasing set of new regulations and standards for data availability.

IBM’s Partners Drive PureSystems Adoption 

For IBM Business Partners, PureSystems creates a new opportunity to help clients solve the complexity of enterprise IT.

From resellers to distributors and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), more than 700 Business Partners are supporting IBM PureSystems.

PureSystems currently run tens of thousands of existing ISV applications across four operating environments including Windows, Linux, AIX, and IBM System i.

Additionally, Business Partners have created more than 160 new solutions and applications that are optimized to run on PureSystems. These patterns of expertise, which span 20 industries, can be accessed through the IBM PureSystems Centre.

They include leading solutions from some of the world’s largest ISVs, including ERP systems and applications for the banking, marketing, healthcare and energy industries.

Numerous partners are also installing PureSystems in their own datacenters. For example Computer Gross, a managed service provider in Italy, and OneTree Solutions, an ISV from Luxembourg are both using the cloud capabilities of IBM PureSystems as a way to more easily meet the needs of their customers.

PureSystems Training, Certification, & Validation

To help address the new opportunity that PureSystems presents, IBM is also providing training, marketing, certifications and technical validation support to business partners.

For instance, dozens of IBM Innovation Centers in cities such as Bangalore, Dublin, Johannesburg and Shanghai are helping Business Partners develop and test their applications using IBM PureSystems. Business Partners can also bring their clients to IBM Innovation Centers to see PureSystems technology at work.

In addition, more 1,300 business partners — ISVs, managed service providers, resellers, system integrators and distributors — have been showing their support and interest in PureSystems by attending Business Partner Day and training events in 27 cities around the world.

PureSystems cloud capabilities are also drawing interest, with 500 developers using the PureSystems Cloud Trial to create applications through IBM’s SmartCloud that are ready to run on IBM’s new expert integrated systems.

IBM Financing For PureSystems

To help credit-qualified clients easily acquire IBM PureSystems, IBM Global Financing is making available a range of financing options.

As a result, clients will be able to avoid paying cash up-front, while lowering their total cost of ownership.

This is the first time that clients can lease the entire value of the system, including hardware and software.

Credit-qualified clients that elect financing can see immediate benefits with PureSystems while deferring their first payment for 90 days. Additionally, IBM Global Asset Recovery Services can buy back servers, including those made by HP and Oracle, for clients migrating to IBM PureSystems.

There are two models of the PureSystems family available — PureFlex System and PureApplication System.

PureFlex System enables organizations to more efficiently create and manage an infrastructure, while PureApplication System allows organizations to quickly deploy and reduce the cost and complexity of managing applications.

Both have already shipped to leading clients in 5 continents.

You can learn more about IBM PureSystems in the Expert Integrated Systems blog here.

Gone In 60 Seconds: IBM’s New SMB Financing Plan Intended To Boost Economic Growth

I just heard the very end of the Federal Reserve Chairman’s talk in Minnesota.  When Bernanke was asked a question near the end about the movie “Too Big To Fail,” an HBO docudrama (which I highly recommend) that featured Paul Giamatti as Ben Bernanke, Bernanke joked: “I haven’t seen that movie…although I did see the original.”

The audience lapped it up.  Who’d a thunk Ben Bernanke was a comic at heart!?

But, all kidding aside, as many eagerly await President Obama’s jobs speech later on this evening, IBM made an announcement earlier today that should help credit-qualified small and medium businesses finance IBM technology purchases.

IBM announced earlier today it would provide $1 billion in financing to help such companies take advantage of a new suite of advanced technologies such as analytics and cloud computing over the next 18 months.

This effort is intended to help SMBs spur innovation and drive economic growth by making credit more easily accessible, with approvals often in less than 60 seconds, through IBM Global Financing.

Financing is one of the biggest challenges limiting the success of SMBs today.  U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) consistently reports that well over 50 percent of small businesses fail within their first five years due to lack of capital. Since this segment is responsible for nearly 65 percent of global GDP, representing more than 90 percent of all businesses and employing more than 90 percent of the world’s workforce, SMBs play a critical role in a global economic recovery.

Today’s news addresses the urgent need for capital by providing the right foundation and resources to support SMBs in this economy. IBM’s commitment of $1 billion in financing for SMBs is designed to eliminate many of the cost barriers they face to grow their business. IBM will offer simple, flexible lease and loan packages, some starting at as low as 0 percent for 12 months with no money down, allowing them to immediately acquire the IBM technology and services they need to begin to transform their businesses, while managing their cash flow more effectively.

This financing will be made available to SMB clients through IBM Business Partners who can benefit from enhanced online financing tools to generate price proposals and get fast approvals for credit applications for SMB clients, all available by a simple click of the mouse.

As part of today’s announcement, IBM is also launching a comprehensive set of solutions, which include workload optimized systems combining hardware and software and services offerings focused on technologies, such as cloud, analytics, collaboration and security, specifically designed to address SMBs key needs.  IBM aims to help this segment by making these advanced technologies, once reserved for larger enterprises with large budgets, available to SMBs through IBM Business Partners at an affordable price. These new offerings also introduce technologies from IBM’s recent cloud, analytics and security acquisitions such as Cast Iron, BigFix, SPSS, Netezza and Cognos.

“Reaching people on the go is core to our business,” said SkyMall COO, Jay Scannell. “The opportunity lies behind the ability to tie online buying to offline activity.  This will drive expansion and innovation in the way we conduct commerce and will require the continued investment and advance technologies to keep pace.  As a long-time IBM customer, we have used analytics to make key decisions about our business.  Today’s news demonstrates IBM’s commitment to support and strengthen SMBs and we are excited to see the advancements this will drive in the retail industry.”

“We are currently at the forefront of an entrepreneurial renaissance that is sweeping the globe,” said Mike Grandinetti, managing director at Southboro Capital “Affordable and powerful technology has gone mainstream. It has closed the gap between big corporations and small businesses, enabling entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized businesses to radically change the way that we think about and approach our work.

“While some may find it surprising that big company like IBM is involved, they have long been  a powerful ally to entrepreneurs around the world, helping small business grow and deliver the next wave of technology innovation.”

In addition to software, services and financing, IBM offers a variety of ways for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses with no-charge access to advanced technologies, leading business and technology experts and training. Through its Global Entrepreneur Program and network of 40 global Innovation Centers, IBM helps businesses solve tough challenges, enter new markets and access the training and support needed to get their products to market faster.

IBM is providing $1 billion in financing through IBM Global Financing to credit-qualified SMBs over the next 18 months. SMBs can use this financing to take advantage of advanced technologies such as cloud and analytics to drive innovation, become more efficient, and ultimately grow their business.

You can learn more here.

IBM is providing $1 billion in financing to credit-qualified SMBs to help bolster economic growth.

IT Budgets, Rex Ryan, and Vegas Sports Books

Okay, I went back and checked my NFL playoff picks for the weekend (see my last post).

Three out of four ain’t bad, and who would have thunk the New York Jets were going to beat the New England Patriots, especially after the season Tom Brady has had.

But kudos to Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan, and the entire Jets organization — that was a helluva win and in Foxborough no less (New England’s home turf).

After watching “60 Minutes” last night and the story on sports betting guru Billy Walters, however, I don’t think I’m quite ready to start making book at $200K+ a game!

As to spending on IT in the small- and medium-sized business market, IBM just completed a global study of more than 2,000 midsize companies representing more than 20 countries.

The verdict? More than half of midsize companies are planning to increase their IT budgets over the next 12 to 18 months.

The study, entitled “Inside the Midmarket: A 2011 Perspective,” found that 70% of midsize companies were actively pursuing analytics technology to better understand their customers, make better decisions, and become more efficient.

No shocker, the study also shows growing adoption of cloud computing among midsize firms, with two-thirds either planning or currently deploying cloud-based technologies to improve IT systems management while lowering costs.

Midsize firms are balancing their IT spending across cost reduction and efficiency, customers, innovation, and growth.

A few other choice tidbits:

• Security (63%), customer relationship management (62%) and analytics / information management (59%) were cited as their “Most Critical IT Priorities.”
• 75% plan to upgrade their core IT systems to improve performance, security and reliability.
• Top expected benefits from cloud computing include cost reduction, better manageability of IT, improved system redundancy and availability.
• Top barriers to IT adoption cited were cost, difficulty in acquiring and deploying technology solutions, and lack of IT skills and resources.

These observations suggest a far cry from a similar survey from nearly two years back, when the conversation was dominated by cost-cutting and efficiencies, rather than business expansion and gaining greater insight.

Observed Andy Monshaw, general manager of the IBM Midmarket group, “The survey findings show that midsize firms are tackling a new set of opportunities to advance their role as engines of economic growth.”

Visit here to download the full study and learn more.

Dick Tracy

Whew.  It’s already Tuesday and I’m already hysterical.

Only five days until I leave for Viva Las Vegas, to attend, blog, and podcast the IBM Information on Demand event.

It’s not too late for you to join me in Vegas..but remember, whatever happens in Vegas ends up on my blog!

Too bad I won’t be able to carry this tricked out, Dick Tracy BlackBerry watch with me to the Strip.

I could be sitting there, hanging at the blackjack tables, staring down at my watch…only to get notified that my mom is calling me to tell me to get plenty of rest, all right there on my Dick Tracy watch.

All the cool BlackBerry kids will soon have one.

What it does is, other than allow you to be cool, is it lets you check your incoming BlackBerry messages without having to actually pull the BlackBerry out of its holster.

What will they think of next?

Well, I’m going to tell you.  And though it won’t necessarily help you buy a new BlackBerry Dick Tracy watch, it will potentially help you buy some needed IT investments.

IBM Global Financing, the lending and leasing business segment of IBM, is announcing a toolkit of financing offerings to help companies step up to smarter, more efficient technologies.

Starting this month, credit-qualified companies and business partners can take advantage of a smart financing toolkit of opportunities that include deferred payments, zero percent financing and attractive prices on IBM Certified Pre-owned Equipment.

Smaller and mid-sized companies can also benefit from a specially configured set of cross IBM solutions that they can acquire at a low monthly price per month, per user.

“For many cash and credit constrained companies, stepping up to Smarter IT can be challenging,” said IBM’s Dan Ransdell, client financing general manager, IBM Global Financing. “IBM Global Financing is helping to make that evolution even simpler with zero percent financing on IBM software and no-payment deferrals on IBM solutions until 2010.”

IBM Global Financing is also reminding customers in the US that they have a few months left to take advantage of IBM Global Financing’s enhanced IT lending rates and deferrals for hardware made possible by the 2009 Economic Stimulus Act.

Here’s hoping I don’t need my own personal economic stimulus after five days in Veggas.