IBM partners with Nortel and Redback

IBM is stepping up the pace in its service provider initiatives to include a joint offering with Nortel Network to help outsource web and ebusiness enterprise infrastructures.

The company has also teamed up with Redback Networks to offer service providers the ability to create advanced IP services on demand.

Called Network Solutions for eBusiness, the IBM/Nortel offering will allow service providers to deliver security, Quality of Service agreements, content distribution, dynamic caching, virtual private Ethernet and content intelligent switching services, beyond handling basic functions such as storage, email and remote access.

The companies said the offerings will help emerging service providers to set themselves up in the marketplace as well as assist established service providers to expand their managed services portfolios and increase revenues with lower implementation costs.

Kneko Burney, an analyst at Cahners In-Stat, said the programme addresses the growing need for enterprises to build and maintain robust, competitive infrastructures.

"They can meet increasing end user demands, benefiting from reduced costs through a more flexible, simplified infrastructure and reduced time to market," he said.

The IBM/Redback partnership will let internet service providers (ISPs) offer IP services on demand. Under the terms of the agreement, Redback, Big Blue and its Tivoli subsidiary will market and sell the Rapid IP Services for eBusiness Solutions package which will offer a web portal to let enterprises order their own customised data services.

In addition, ISPs can personalise and bundle services to increase brand awareness. Examples include secured WebSphere eCommerce solutions such as e-Learning, content distribution management and managed backup and restore solutions that include network attached storage as well as future web-based applications.

Mike Hill, IBM general manager at Global Telecom, said: "IBM understands next-generation network applications and we are able to deliver this capacity today to help service providers create new revenue streams."

Big Blue also referred to a report from IDC, which claimed that, in the current marketplace, only a handful of the leading vendors possess the breadth of capabilities and resources to deliver on all of the requirements. "IBM stands out as the global leader of the network consulting and integration services space," it said.