IBM and Cisco Collaborate on Application-Oriented Networking Technology

Strategic Insights -

IBM and Cisco Systems, Inc. are collaborating to enable strong integration between middleware and network infrastructure layers, leveraging IBM's WebSphere software as part of Cisco's Application-Oriented Networking (AON) technology. This collaboration enables customers to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership through further simplification of the IT infrastructure and improved performance. The combination of WebSphere MQ and Cisco's AON will benefit from IBM's industry-leading strength in helping customers use WebSphere software as the foundation of service-oriented architecture (SOA).

Key Takeaways:

  • IBM's WebSphere software has been selected by Cisco Systems, Inc. as part of its new Application-Oriented Networking technology.
  • The collaboration between IBM and Cisco aims to enable strong integration between middleware and network infrastructure layers.
  • WebSphere MQ enables intelligent network-based data routing based on business rules, reducing complexity and total cost of ownership for customers.
  • IBM's industry-leading strength in service-oriented architecture (SOA) will benefit the powerful combination of WebSphere MQ and Cisco's AON.
  • Taf Anthias, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Application-Oriented Networking Business Unit, stated that adding intelligent application message handling to the network enables applications and the network to work together as an integrated system.
  • Robert LeBlanc, general manager of WebSphere at IBM, emphasized that helping customers extend their WebSphere-enabled applications, integration, and business processes into the network is a logical evolution of their WebSphere strategy.

Statistics:

  • IBM was positioned as the number one application integration and middleware vendor based on license revenue in 2004, according to a recent report by IT analyst firm Gartner, Inc.
  • IBM's WebSphere software is used by tens of thousands of companies and other organizations for end-to-end enterprise integration.
  • Gartner data showed IBM as the leading vendor across all key middleware areas in 2004, including application servers, integration suites, portals, and the composite application platform suite marketplace.

Sources:

  • Market Wire (2005) via COMTEX
  • Gartner, Inc.
  • IBM Corporation
  • Cisco Systems, Inc.