IBM strikes at Oracle with new systems and payouts

IBM has unveiled new data analysis systems and an incentive scheme for Sun Microsystems resellers as it seeks to counter the growing threat from Oracle.

The IBM Smart Analytics range is aimed at large vertical markets such as retail and finance and is designed for real-time data processing on a mainframe or x86 system.

The systems use POWER7-based servers with WebSphere Application Server and DB2 pureScale software to produce very high speed data analysis.

"Clients are demanding a new level of integrated systems that can handle the growing demands of data-intensive workloads while reducing IT costs," said Arvind Krishna, general manager of IBM Information Management.

"These new offerings deliver the integration and optimisation to more efficiently manage analytic and transactional workloads, freeing clients to invest time and resources in growing the business."

The IBM Smart Analytics System 5600 is available now and the more powerful System 9600 and pureScale Application System are due this summer.

IBM has also committed US$500 million (A$538 million) in marketing and capital spending for Sun resellers to persuade them to carry IBM's systems and software. The money will come from IBM Global Financing, and is available to all creditworthy resellers.

"While other vendors are taking a different approach, IBM is actively engaged in growing its community of channel partners," said Rob Thomas, vice president of IBM Business Development.

"We are catering to software, hardware and industry solution partners who are an important part of our IBM team.

"IBM reinforces its commitment to our partners by bringing the power of analytics to clients to allow them to transform their business through information."