Software Quarterly

IBM Software Servers:
A Consultant's Perspective

by Michael Goulde
Senior Consultant, Patricia Seybold Group


By releasing a comprehensive line of software servers, IBM now has an opportunity to rise above the incessant operating system (OS) wars -- which most information technology (IT) managers care very little about -- and focus the basis of server competition on products that contribute more directly to meeting business objectives.

These seven robust, integrated servers supplant 57 separate products and provide a flexible and streamlined approach to delivering a wide range of functionality. The key is that -- by providing similar functionality for leading server platforms including AIX, Windows NT, and OS/2 -- IBM is neutralizing the platform as a selection criterion and is coaxing IT managers to instead look more closely at applications, middleware, and corporate development tools.

Since no single OS platform meets all marketplace needs, IBM is establishing a comprehensive, open, and cross-platform approach to development and deployment. The IBM Software Servers give the company a unique opportunity to establish an advantage over Microsoft and potentially neutralize Oracle as well. Although both Microsoft and Oracle are attempting to extend their reach by investing beyond their core competencies, IBM's seven servers have scope and capabilities that neither of the other two companies are likely to have for years. Since time-to-market has become a critical success factor in many industries, customers cannot afford to wait for software futures, and more pointedly, likely wouldn't know what they were waiting for.

Moreover, distributed application architectures -- whether client/server, three-tier, or n-tier -- require management of the complete environment including networks, systems, and applications. Whether the environment comprises a single platform or multiple platforms, IBM's ability to provide end-to-end management across the enterprise, from mainframe to desktop, is unique. The company's recent acquisition of Tivoli Systems Inc., whose strength in open client/server management complements IBM's forte for mid-range and mainframe systems management, will further bolster IBM's attractiveness as a supplier of server software to the enterprise.


"These software servers give IBM a unique opportunity to establish an advantage over Microsoft and potentially neutralize Oracle as well."


Another critical component of IBM's Software Server line is its support for transaction- and information-based operations. Both CICS and DB2 provide transaction-based application support and have been tested and proven in demanding mission-critical environments for years. Lotus Notes and the World-Wide Web connection provide a strong base for information-based applications that enable collaborative computing capabilities. I was skeptical last fall about whether IBM could build momentum for Notes. But -- with the release of Notes 4.0 and Lotus's latest version of its complementary InterNotes product, future plans to tie IBM's back-end transaction processing capabilities to Notes, and Notes's support of Java applets -- IBM is creating a long-term development path for companies looking to exploit the transaction potential of the Internet.

IT managers are facing increased budget pressures at the same time they are attempting to accommodate growing demands upon their expertise. Finding ways to reduce costs has become a mandatory job requirement. Open client/server computing appeared to be the Holy Grail of cost control. Unfortunately, many buyers focused only on purchase price, not on the total cost of client/server computing.

But, purchase price of software is just one variable in the complete equation. Long term cost of ownership of software -- including maintenance, support, education, certification, and fee services -- needs to become a primary customer concern in rolling out solutions. By establishing a common set of terms and conditions, and offering a wide choice of complementary service offerings, IBM has created an attractive server option that starts to address these cost issues.


"Whether the environment is comprised of a single platform or multiple platforms, IBM's ability to provide end-to-end management across the enterprise, from mainframe to desktop, is unique."


If there's an area where the IBM Software Servers could be more complete, it's application development. In the software developer kits for the servers, IBM has packaged the application programming interfaces and parts for its own sophisticated application development tools, such as the VisualAge family. It remains to be seen how developers loyal to the widely popular third-party tools Visual Basic and PowerBuilder will create applications. By capturing the attention of tools providers, IBM could go a long way toward encouraging developers to write applications using the tools they're most comfortable with for an array of servers that, in this analyst's opinion, are likely to generate much interest within the IT community.

And finally, while Microsoft rules the desktop roost for the moment, its plan to infiltrate the back office is inconsistent. In some areas of functionality its products are solid. In others, they are either incomplete or non-existent. Although Windows NT is settling in to a comfortable niche as a platform for workgroup and departmental applications, IBM's latest offering provides a compelling alternative to an all-Microsoft shop, offering high integration and rich functionality.

The mission-critical enterprise is alive and kicking, and handing over the operation of the systems that run the business to a company that is as end-user focused as Microsoft is a frightening prospect for many IT managers. These managers want the best of both worlds -- Microsoft's desktop ease of use and desktop applications and IBM's bet-your-business track record. To get what they need, however, they might want to consider -- oh irony of ironies -- creating an "intraserver" IBM/Microsoft alliance that raises a white flag on the OS battlefield and instigates a complete frontal assault on corporate server development.


For more information, see the
IBM Software Servers page.



Michael Goulde is a senior consultant with the Patricia Seybold Group, a Boston, MA-based firm specializing in distributed computing. He has ten years of experience as an industry analyst and has tracked client/server computing, open systems, system and network management, and the Internet.









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