IBM announced earlier that it’s new initiative aims to help customers manage the hybrid cloud world. The hybrid cloud describes a mixed environment that includes a combination of public and private cloud resources as well as on-premise data centers.

 

Angel Diaz, the VP of cloud architecture and technology at IBM, says that the main idea is to make it as simple as possible to manage resources across a range of cloud platforms and types. Between public and private clouds, data centers and cloud to cloud will ideally behave as a single infrastructure, no matter where these are located.

 

IBM is trying to address an issue that every company faces at some point during their switch to using the cloud as most companies have a hybrid of cloud computing types. They are finding it difficult to access information from different sources. Diaz has said that there are three main problem areas. First, there needs to be a way to integrate data with the company’s systems. Second, they want to make it easier to access the data regardless of location or platform. Lastly, delivery of data to the device and location it is needed even if bits of information are on different platforms.

 

Along with these problems, IBM has announced several ways to solve these problems. The first solution involves container technology. IBM has partnered with Docker to create IBM-defined Dockerized containers for enterprises. These containers are designed to work no matter if the applications are on location or in the cloud, and to integrate processes like security, governance and a system of records.

 

The second solution is something called IBM DataWorks.  This was designed to help developers work with different sets of data by mapping connections between applications and locations to pull the data together in a secure manner automatically. IBM wants to tie this into Watson to provide access to API’s for intelligent use of the data. Diaz said that Watson does not just make sense of the data, but it can also draw correlations and give probability of what is right and what isn’t.

 

Another important piece is BlueMix Local. This allows a way to setup BlueMix, an IBM platform as a service offering, in a way that lets you choose where to store the application’s components. It will allow you to store these components in the public cloud as well as on-premise and cloud sources depending on the individual or company requirements. IBM’s BlueMix is trying to provide visibility, control and application in a seamless manner.

 

IBM is working with multiple companies to solve these cloud issues, and Diaz says it is important for companies to work together to overcome customer frustrations. IBM will continue to team up with other companies to solve these complex issues.

The post IBM’s Comprehensive Cloud Initiative appeared first on Cloud News Daily.