IBM unveils new software and services ahead of GITEX 2005

SOA is a way of viewing business processes as a set of linked services, and an approach that uses open standards to make a company's business operations more efficient, effective and collaborative. With business processes supported by an SOA foundation, a company can make its previously-siloed data and software applications better interoperate across business units, as well as with third parties. This approach leverages existing resources to help improve productivity, quickly react to changing market conditions and seize opportunities.

As part of the announcement today, IBM will expand its SOA Business Partner initiative across the region and will also host two major customer events in Dubai over the coming week that focus on the benefits of the SOA technology model.

"Companies in this region have spent millions of dollars to perfectly tune applications, then poured cement over them. The result is there is no one way to connect these hard-wired disparate components," said Bashar Kilani, software group manager, IBM Middle East, Egypt and Pakistan. "A new emerging industry standards-based technology - SOA -- is helping to resolve this. It breaks through the cement and connects parts of IT that previously could not be linked, which is a critical requirement for on demand business."

A consumer purchasing an item online, for example, can automatically trigger a series of other transactions in the retailers IT systems using an SOA. The credit card is verified, the shipping department is notified, inventory levels are adjusted and accounting records are updated. Many consumers purchasing the same item in a given time period can automatically trigger additional transactions such as alerting manufacturing to make more products, order more supplies to build the product or schedule overtime for workers. Nearly all these systems, such as ERP, supply chain, revenue management and CRM were built by different vendors at different times using different proprietary technologies and never envisioned the need to integrate outside of their silos. Industry standards eliminate these siloed walls in an SOA.

The new software and services announced today build on IBM's SOA capabilities. Specifically, new software is from IBM's WebSphere portfolio, with enhanced software from Rational and Tivoli. New services being announced ensure on-going support for SOA deployments by IBM clients and business partners. IBM's SOA strategy not only supports open web services standards, it centers on business process management, and it supports organizations of all sizes, at every stage of an SOA rollout, from initial assessment through deployment and management as businesses strive to become complete on demand businesses.

"SOA implies much more than simple web services connections or a yet-to-be delivered set of business components that might work together, it is about realizing the benefits of business process management today with existing application assets. The new software and services we are announcing today build on IBM's leadership - we have the most comprehensive set of capabilities for business process management and integration in the marketplace today," continued Kilani.