IBM opens four cloud computing centers in emerging markets

IBM today opened four new cloudcomputing centers in emerging markets. They are in Sao Paulo, Brazil;Bangalore, India; Seoul, Korea; and Hanoi, Vietnam, where there is anincreasing demand for Internet-based computing models and skills to helpcompanies compete in highly competitive environments.

With previouslyopened centers in both emerging and mature markets, IBM now has 13 cloudcomputing centers, the world’s largest network of expertise on cloudcomputing.

At a time when organizations of all sizes are facing extreme data overload,skyrocketing energy costs, increasingly complex regulatory requirements andcompetition from more nimble economies, cloud computing is emerging as asignificant shift across all industries. This computing model allowsbusinesses and consumers alike to remotely access a vast computing resourcethat can be tapped on-demand to deliver next-generation services thatconsumers demand, like online medical records or mobile stock portfoliomanagement.

It also improves energy efficiency because of its principle asa shared infrastructure, and allows organizations to better trackinformation, pay for what they use and access more computing, storage,services or applications on demand.

For nearly a year, IBM has been building cloud computing infrastructuresfor clients around the world and establishing cloud projects in IBM cloudcomputing environments. The centers are available for clients acrossmultiple industries such as banking, telecommunications, government,education, and hosting services.

In Vietnam, universities, government ministries and telecommunicationvendors are leaders in adopting new technology such as cloud computing,which helps to create new services. In Korea, the new center will providearchitecture skills and pilot projects for industries such as banking,telecommunications, government, education, and information technologyhosting services. In India, clients such as mid-market vendors,universities, telecommunications companies and government bodies will beable to access the center for the resources they need to pilot cloudinfrastructures and applications, and deliver new services to theircustomers. Clients in Brazil will use the new center to generate businesssuch as massive scale collaboration programs. As Internet users in Brazilacquire more mobility, cloud computing will make Web-based businessoperations more efficient.

Among the first customers to use the new centers is the Association forPromotion of Brazilian Software Excellence (SOFTEX). SOFTEX will conductCONCERTO DE IDÉIAS, an unprecedented on-line event in Brazil. The purposeis to collect ideas for the 2009 – 2010 strategic plan for Brazil’ssoftware industry. The event will be hosted by the center in Sao Paolousing IBM Idea Factory, a Web 2.0-based cloud computing platform thatallows participation from any device at any time. Twenty-two agencies and1,500 Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that are members of SOFTEX willcontribute ideas during this 72-hour event in early November.

“An effective innovation solution requires an information technology (IT)environment that can quickly respond to changes in demand. SOFTEX haschosen IBM cloud computing to help us promote collaboration,” said ArnaldoBacha, vice president of SOFTEX. “IBM Idea Factory accommodates innovationamong our employees, customers and partners. It is the first step forSOFTEX to adopt this cutting-edge technology.”

Vietnam Technology and Telecommunications (VNTT) is a customer of the IBMCloud Computing Center in Vietnam. “We benefit from this center thatprovides training, consulting and support,” said Nguyen Minh Tan, chiefexecutive officer of VNTT. “Cloud computing brings the competitiveness weneed in the local market where our customers expect world-class servicefrom us.”

“Cloud computing enables server-centric virtualization, which helps the ITecosystem to achieve a smaller footprint, efficient resource utilizationand server consolidation,” said Professor Sanjay G. Dhande, Director,Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. “Enterprises are looking atalternate ways to support their dramatically increasing computing needs,one that will allow for massive scalability while providing an energyefficient and resilient infrastructure. Technology collaboration betweenIIT Kanpur and IBM India will drive new developments in computing tosupport academic advancement and economic development in India.”

IBM has dedicated more than 200 full-time researchers and has announced$100 million investment in cloud computing. A global leader ofmassive-scale computing initiatives, IBM offers BlueCloud, a set ofhardware, software and services.

“Cloud computing is emerging as a fundamental change in how IT is managedand delivered,” said Dr. Willy Chiu, vice president of IBM High PerformanceOn Demand Solutions. “It is a key element of the evolution to a NewEnterprise Data Center, and a powerful tool for efficient operations,especially in growth economies.”

Most recently, IBM announced new storage hardware, software and services,aimed at meeting the demands of cloud computing. Earlier this year, IBMestablished Europe’s first Cloud Computing Center in Dublin, Ireland, acenter in Beijing, China; one in Johannesburg, South Africa; one in Tokyo,Japan and one in Raleigh, North Carolina. Over the past year, IBM hasprovided cloud computing services to clients such as Wuxi City of China;Sogeti, the Local Professional Services Division of Capgemini; theVietnamese government institutions and universities; iTricity, autility-based hosting service provider headquartered in the Netherlands;and the University of Pretoria in South Africa.