IBM to spend $300 million on global cloud-based business continuity

This truly massive infrastructure expansion is the largest of its kind and will allow IBM clients to access services supporting business continuity for the first time from a cloud computing environment. Philippe Jarre, general manager of IBM Global Business Continuity and Resiliency Services, explains that it’s all about ensuring uninterrupted operations across all layers of a business. He also says the global centres will help users prepare for and recover from disruptions and disasters under virtually any condition, while also complying with industry and government regulations. And we are talking worldwide: Big Blue’s delivery centres will be located in Hong Kong; Tokyo, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Warsaw, Milan, Metro Park, Cologne, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai, Brussels and South Africa. “Today, IBM makes a historic investment and commitment to clients for whom continuous and resilient business operations are an imperative,” says Jarre. “Whether it be via acquisitions, expansion of our consulting services, or the opening of new service delivery centres, IBM is committed to helping clients achieve the levels of business continuity necessary to meet the triple threat of data protection, security and compliance head-on,” he adds. He also points to IBM’s increased focus on its Information Protection Services business, delivering cloud-based computing services. These services will combine IBM hardware with storage management software in a configured, rack-mounted storage appliance, or vault, says Jarre, capable of storing multi-terabytes of information and applications data. The vaults are integrated with technology gained via IBM’s acquisition of Arsenal Digital Solutions in 2008. IBM says its patent-pending on-demand service delivery platform enables global scalability of information protection services and rapid -protection of customer data.