IBM will provide OpenStack integration and cloud virtualization and management capabilities across IBM's server portfolio, the company said in a statement. The service is designed to enable organizations to more easily adopt and integrate the cloud with their existing IT infrastructure.
The service, IBM Cloud Manager with OpenStack, will feature full access to the OpenStack API. OpenStack is a global collaboration of approximately 16,000 developers and cloud computing technologists that collaborate on technological innovation.
Cloud Manager will extend cloud management support to IBM's System z, Power Systems, PureFlex/Flex Systems, System x, and all other x86 environments. Interested parties can purchase IBM Cloud Manager with OpenStack as an add-on or as a bundled offering with IBM's newly released Power Systems servers.
IBM said Cloud Manager will offer a "modular, flexible design that enables rapid innovation, [and] vendor interoperability." Features include virtualized image management with library for standardized images; full OpenStack API support for interoperability and customization to help tailor services to unique business requirements; and basic metering to support allocation of IT infrastructure usage.
IBM invests in cloud
IBM committed to a US$1.2 billion investment in its global cloud footprint, earlier this year, including plans to open 15 new data centers worldwide. The investment follows last year's acquisition of cloud computing infrastructure company SoftLayer.
IBM also acquired database-as-a-service (DBaaS) provider Cloudant in March. The purchase is intended to further IBM's interests in big data and analytics, cloud computing and mobile.
Earlier this week, Brocade proposed the first OpenStack service designed to support inter-data center multi-tenancy. The proposed solution is aimed at helping organizations with multiple data centers and virtual machines across centers maintain operations in an automated and flexible manner.
Brocade partnered with Huawei on the proposed solution, which is specifically geared toward managed service providers and cloud service providers.
