IBM sets out its cloud computing stall

IBM hopes to meet heightened customer demand for cloud computing services

IBM today launched a series of cloud-based services and products designed to help enterprises get up and running with their cloud implementations, whether in front of or behind the firewall.

The IBM Smart Business portfolio features three ways for customers to deploy development and test services.

Test Cloud is for private cloud services behind the customer firewall, built and/or run by IBM, while Development & Test on the IBM Cloud features software delivery services which enable organisations to utilise IBM's secure, scalable cloud delivery model for application lifecycle management, the firm said.

IBM CloudBurst, meanwhile, is a family of pre-integrated hardware, storage, virtualisation and networking, with a built-in service management system, for customers who want to build their own clouds.

IBM is also offering two deployment options to help firms deploy virtual desktops. Smart Business Desktop Cloud consists of cloud services delivered via the customer's own infrastructure and datacentre, while Desktop on the IBM Cloud is the Smart Business Virtual Desktop delivered via IBM's secure, scalable public cloud.

"Cloud is an important new consumption and delivery model for IT and business services. Large enterprises want our help to capitalise on what this model offers in a way that is safe, reliable and efficient for business," said Erich Clementi, vice president of enterprise initiatives at IBM.

"Today's Smart Business announcement demonstrates that we take this responsibility seriously, with cloud investment and solutions targeting the early opportunity."