IBM

Connection to Virtualization

As virtualization has advanced and encouraged end-user companies to consolidate many small servers onto a few large machines, IBM has encouraged all forms of virtualization and supplied virtualization customers with virtual-server-specific versions of its hardware, systems-management software, security, operating systems and professional services.

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Why It’s Significant

As the leading player in data-center hardware, software and integration services, IBM is in an admirable position to welcome all comers to the virtualization market with the storage and server products to support many servers running on one box, and the services to build complex virtual data centers. Along with HP, IBM is the Levi Strauss of the virtualization gold rush, getting rich selling shovels to prospectors rather than doing the digging themselves. As significant as its systems business is to virtualization, its focus on creating a suite of virtual-server-specific security products and services may make it more of an agenda-setting player than it has been in the past.

Key Products

• High-end Power, x86 and mainframe servers
• IBM Systems Director systems
• Management and integration services

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