IBM taps Amazon to expand the cloud

IBM is keen for customers to start using software in the cloud

IBM has partnered with Amazon to offer software to clients and developers on Amazon Web Services (AWS) using a pay-as-you-go access model.

The initiative, which comes just a day after IBM launched a host of other cloud computing offerings, provides access to development and production versions of IBM's Information Management database servers, Lotus content management and WebSphere portal at an hourly rate.

IBM customers that already hold licences will now reportedly be able to use them more flexibly, enabling them to take advantage of AWS. This means that licence holders will be able to use their current setup to handle steady state processing needs, in the knowledge that they can buy more licences for the cloud on a pay-as-you-go basis during peak times.

The ability to use IBM's DB2, Informix Dynamic Server, WebSphere Portal, Lotus Web Content Management and WebSphere sMash and Novell's SUSE Linux operating system in the cloud at an hourly rate is sure to turn a few heads in the enterprise world, which is exactly what the company wants.

IBM has invested much in terms of time and resources in cloud computing, and desperately needs customers to start using software in the cloud. This latest model gives the firm a low commitment option to offer sceptical would-be cloud users.

"Extending IBM software to the cloud via Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud will help even more businesses take advantage of the benefits of the reliable, scalable and cost-efficient infrastructure in the cloud," said Terry Wise, director of business development at AWS.