30
Sat, Nov
0 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. MORE
  4. Commentary
  5. Analysis of News Events
  6. IBM Puts a Priority on Partner Innovation

IBM Puts a Priority on Partner Innovation

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

When IBM met with its Business Partners in Las Vegas two weeks ago, it pledged to launch more than 100 "innovation hot spots" where Partners can build new solutions and enhance existing ones using IBM technologies. These centers could advance IBM's strategy for reenergizing the iSeries by helping software vendors to develop modern solutions for the server.

The new Innovation Centers, which IBM will underwrite with a $150 million investment, are not a novel concept for the company. For years, IBM has opened many of its development centers to Partners and customers that need assistance in solution development. Over the last several years, the company has replaced the many names for these centers with a single name: IBM Innovation Centers. In addition, the company has created the Virtual Innovation Center, a Web-based resource where partners can get education, technical support, and remote access to IBM servers and software for solution development and testing.

Over the last year, IBM has extended the Innovation Center concept yet again by opening 40 Business Partner Innovation Centers (BPICs) in North America and Europe. As their name implies, BPICs are managed by Business Partners with sponsorship from IBM. Many of the company's distributors--including Arrow, Avnet, Ingram Micro, Sirius Computer Solutions, and Tech Data--have formed BPICs to help their resellers build solutions on IBM's hardware and software. In addition, solutions providers have formed BPICs to help customers integrate IBM technologies (especially WebSphere products) into their IT infrastructures. Among them are providers with iSeries skills, such as CommerceQuest, Covansys, Miracle Software Systems, MSI Systems Integrators, and Syscom.

During 2005, IBM plans to open 100 additional BPICs to put more of its technologies and expert assistance in the field. Though IBM is not publicly providing the names of future Business Partner sponsors, a significant percentage of them will have iSeries skills. Many of these BPICs will help the iSeries community to adopt the technologies and tools that are part of the iSeries Developer Roadmap. The following diagram shows the new version of the Roadmap that IBM unveiled last month as part of its iSeries Initiative for Innovation.

 

http://www.mcpressonline.com/articles/images/2002/03-14-05%20InnovationV300.jpg

Figure 1: The new iSeries Developer Roadmap is part of IBM's iSeries Initiative for Innovation. (Click image to enlarge.)

 

As I explained in an article last month, the new version of the Roadmap is notable for including a wider range of IBM products and open technologies. Many BPICs are already providing services around these products and technologies, including those that are new to the Roadmap. Several BPICs, for instance, have used WebSphere Portal Server and WebSphere Business Integration Server in projects that involved the iSeries.

In addition, it is possible that many BPICs will begin to feature some of the third-party tools that IBM now includes as part of the iSeries Developer Roadmap. IBM has already secured agreements from over 60 iSeries tool vendors to support the Roadmap and participate in the iSeries Initiative for Innovation. As it increases its collaboration with these providers, IBM may let some of them use the BPICs to educate and enable customers. Indeed, it is possible that several tool vendors will open their own BPICs.

In short, IBM's latest investment in its Innovation Centers provides much-needed funding for the company's campaign to revitalize the iSeries. It puts more middleware products and application modernization tools in the field where iSeries users can touch and test them in live environments. It could also provide more iSeries experts with the support they need to educate customers and Partners on the latest technologies. I am certain that the iSeries Division wants to leverage IBM's Innovation Center strategy to reenergize the iSeries, and I hope they use it to the fullest advantage. When a wave of investment like this comes along, it is vitally important to catch it.

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: