IBM has announced that the availability of its software portfolio is expanding globally to 92 countries in AWS Marketplace.
The expansion goes beyond Denmark, France, Germany, UK and US, where the software is currently available and it will now be available in 18 African countries (Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda).
According to a Canalys study, cloud marketplaces continue to emerge as the fastest-growing route to market for software-as-a-service (SaaS) software, expected to increase to $45-billion by 2025, up 84% CAGR over five years. Marketplaces also help shorten the buying cycle, consolidate billing, and make it easier to scale software deployments quickly.
The news provides clients more access to IBM’s artificial intelligence (AI) and data technologies within a portfolio of 44 listings and 29 SaaS offerings available for purchase.
Included are components of the watsonx AI and Data platform, which allow enterprises to build, scale and govern AI workloads. Watsonx.data, a fit-for-purpose data store built on an open data lakehouse architecture, and Watsonx.ai, a next generation enterprise studio for AI builders are available in AWS Marketplace as well as two of IBM’s AI Assistants — watsonx Assistant and watsonx Orchestrate. Watsonx.governance is expected to be available soon.
“IBM’s global expansion with AWS Marketplace opens up innovation opportunities for our joint customers across the world,” says Matt Yanchyshyn, GM: AWS Marketplace and partner services at AWS. “By leveraging the speed and simplified procurement capabilities of AWS Marketplace, customers can now more easily access IBM’s cutting-edge solutions, enabling them to accelerate their digital transformation and drive innovation at scale.
“This expanded collaboration between AWS and IBM reflects our shared commitment to empowering customers with the tools and resources they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced environment.”
Other software includes IBM’s flagship database Db2 Cloud Pak for Data as well as a portfolio of automation software including Apptio, Turbonomic and Instana, and the IBM Security and Sustainability software portfolios all built on Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS. The cloud-native software enables clients to deploy on AWS while flexible licensing, including SaaS and subscription, makes it easier for clients to purchase exactly how they want.
IBM is also launching 15 new IBM Consulting professional services and assets on AWS Marketplace, exclusively designed for AWS. These new service offerings are aligned to client needs and demand, focused on data and application modernization, security services, and tailored industry-specific solutions – with generative AI capabilities included in select services.
IBM Consulting also brings 24 000 AWS certifications and a dedicated team of experts trained in the latest AWS technologies to help clients with tailored recommendations grounded in industry best practices.
“Cloud computing is currently experiencing remarkable growth in South Africa as local companies are increasing their digital migration to meet the expectations of increasingly digital-first consumers and maintain a competitive advantage against competitors in the digital marketplace,” says Ria Pinto, GM and technology leader at IBM SA.
“By availing IBM’s portfolio of software on AWS Marketplace, we are expanding the points of entry for local organisations, both large and small, to have quick and easy access to IBM’s leading AI, data and cloud solutions, accelerating the secure modernization of IT infrastructures and digital transformation of our enterprise landscape.”