AD
元器件交易网讯 2月24日消息，为对抗云计算巨头亚马逊，加强自己的领导地位，国际商业机器公司（IBM）不仅将软件转移云平台上运行，并且对云计算产品加大开发力度。
周一IBM宣布一套新的软件程序、工具以及设计，这样的话公司能够在互联网上更容易工作和展开业务。这项举动旨在充分利用IBM的软件开发人员，确保在云服务方面和其它公司诸如亚马逊，谷歌做的一样完美。
“IBM正在研发一款线上平台，此平台能够使开发人员能够在线上对数据库软件进行编写，我们希望有很多开发者能够参与到这项活动中，”市场营销和业务副总裁Matt Asay说：“我们意识到需要赶上亚马逊或者超越它，否则肯定会落后。”
自电脑诞生后，这些科技公司都在试图使开发者能够对本公司的产品产生兴趣。在移动领域相似的冲突正在发生，如谷歌与苹果为无线应用操作系统争夺开发者 。现在为了吸引云计算开发者冲突正在加剧。IBM表示已收购为互联网提供数据库软件的私营公司Cloudant。
IBM也表示它将为开发者创造一种能够调用BlueMix的软件沙箱，开发者通过此调取能够充分利用IBM服务，能够更快地建立网页和移动应用，例如时下最流行的WebSphere程序。IBM表示Cloudant将成为BlueMix的一个必备部分。
IBM意识到快速发展的创业公司与下一代编写云计算程序开发人员组成的社区有重要联系。该云计算服务将在SoftLayer的数据中心运行，去年夏天IBM以20亿美元买下了这家云数据中心。SoftLayer是一个普通的技术创业公司，它弥补了IBM提供服务所欠缺的：向客户租用服务器空间，该领域一直由亚马逊来把持。去年夏天IBM与MongoDB达成了合作意向。
IBM在云计算策略上积极进取。除了完成SoftLayer这笔交易外，IBM声称它将花费12亿美元建造15个数据中心，这样的话加上现有的13个SoftLayer数据中心总共有了27个。IBM周一发布的软件工具就是IBM投资10亿美元在云服务软件业的产品之一。
对于IBM来说SoftLayer交易是一个大的赌注，IBM希望适应客户越来越愿意租电脑，而自己并不购买昂贵的服务器、网络设备并且还承担维护费用这样的局面。这样的趋势对IBM来说是个挑战。IBM以前靠安装服务器，维护和升级电脑系统的客户端赚了数十亿美元。IBM表示下个度将把自己的专有的Power芯片技术与SoftLayer技术整合到一起。
这是一个重大的举措自从IBM被华尔街日报(博客,微博)爆出沃森所采用的自然语言处理技术以前没有与SoftLayer提供的数据中心技术配套。沃森是一个巨大的成功，IBM需要把这项技术应用到云计算中，开发人员通过此平台可以创建数以千计的应用程序移动计算系统，如苹果的App Store等。
Asay说， IBM已经与主要地大公司和以前为个人电脑和公司网络编写软件的开发者建立了强有力的关系。但他表示，该公司不太吸引那些编写互联网和移动计算系统年轻的开发者。
“他们正在努力寻找办法在新领域和旧领域搭起桥梁，”他说，“如果他们搞清楚了，进步是相当明显的。（元器件交易网 白玉涛译）
以下为外文：
International Business Machines is trying to help companies to move more software to the cloud, an attempt to strengthen its position against cloud computing leaders such as Amazon.com.
On Monday, IBM announced a new set of software programs, tools and other capabilities designed to make it easier for companies to build business applications that work on the Internet.
The moves are aimed at capitalizing on IBM"s longstanding relationships with software developers, a key constituency that will help determine the success of its own cloud offerings as well as those of companies such as Amazon.com, Google, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard.
“IBM is trying to get developers interested in their platform,” said Matt Asay, vice president of marketing and business development at MongoDB, a startup that makes a new type of database software popular with developers who write programs that run online. “IBM recognizes they need to match and exceed Amazon functionality.”
Since the birth of computers, tech companies have courted developers as a way to build interest and momentum for their products. A similar battle has recently been playing out in the mobile world, as Google, Apple and Microsoft vie for the attention of developers coding apps for wireless operating systems.
Now, a contest is heating up for the attention of cloud computing developers. As part of the announcement, IBM said it struck an agreement to acquire small, privately held startup Cloudant, a maker of database software that is offered over the Internet.
IBM also said it will be creating a new software sandbox for developers called BlueMix where they can build Web and mobile applications more quickly by tapping into IBM software and services, including its popular WebSphere Internet infrastructure programs.
The programs will work on data center technology offered by SoftLayer Technologies, the cloud computing provider IBM bought for around $2 billion last summer. IBM said Cloudant will become an “essential component” of BlueMix.
Asay said IBM formed a partnership with MongoDB last June because the technology giant realized the fast-growing startup had formed relations with a large community of next-generation developers writing applications for the cloud.
Over the last year, IBM has been getting more aggressive about its cloud strategy. Besides the SoftLayer deal, IBM recently said it would spend more than $1.2 billion to build 15 new data centers to add to its existing global footprint of 13 SoftLayer data centers and 12 IBM data centers. The new software tools IBM announced Monday are part of an additional $1 billion investment IBM is making in cloud software.
The SoftLayer transaction is a large bet in a string of deals by IBM aimed at adapting to a market where clients increasingly prefer to rent computer space rather than take on the burden and expense of buying their own servers, networking gear and other technology. The trend is a challenge to IBM, which has made billions of dollars installing, maintaining and upgrading computer systems for clients.
SoftLayer is popular with technology startups and helped fill a gap in IBM"s offerings: renting space to clients on computers the clients don"t own, an area dominated by Amazon. As part of the announcements, IBM also said starting next quarter it would begin integrating its proprietary Power chip technology with SoftLayer technology.
That is a significant move since IBM"s Jeopardy-winning natural language Watson technology previously did not work with data center technology offered by SoftLayer, a problem revealed in a front-page Wall Street Journal story in January. For Watson to be a big success, IBM needs the technology to run in the cloud, where developers could create thousands and thousands of apps much as they do for mobile computing systems like Apple"s App Store.
Asay says IBM has strong relations with chief information officers of big companies and older developers who grew up creating software for PCs and company networks. But he said the company has been less successful at courting younger developers who are writing programs that work on the Internet and mobile computing systems.
“They are trying to find ways to bridge the new world and the old world,” he said. “If they figure it out, it could be big.”
