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New IBM WebSphere Solution with Akamai Enables Customers to Tap Into Virtualized Internet Computing Capacity
Somers, NY and Cambridge, Mass. -- May 1, 2003 -- A new IBM WebSphere software solution with Akamai Technologies, Inc. will speed up response time to business opportunities, provide fast, global access to Web applications, and lower the cost of running an IT infrastructure.
The new solution, to be called Akamai® EdgeComputingSM Powered by WebSphere®, will enable companies to tap into virtualized Internet computing capacity on demand on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.
A top item on many corporate technology wish lists is the ability to take advantage of virtual capacity as needed to rapidly meet new market opportunities. Many companies can't take full advantage of the Internet today to drive business growth since periodic spikes in traffic - such as a sales promotion that draws millions of Web site hits in a matter of hours -- can slow down response when supported by the company's existing IT infrastructure.
With this new solution, customers can head off network congestion by extending applications built on WebSphere, the industry's leading Internet infrastructure software, to Akamai's distributed network of more than 15,000 servers to handle everyday Web application traffic and spikes in demand. Businesses can avoid the high cost of purchasing extra peak-use servers that otherwise might sit underutilized, while benefiting from the performance and reliability of Akamai's global network.
New enhancements to WebSphere Application Server and development tools will enable customers to build, deploy and run applications for an on demand environment. Features will include easy one-button network deployment, embedded IBM database technology, and Web services caching capabilities.
The solution's virtualized network shortens the time it takes to process user requests. Specific application functions, such as creating and viewing a personalized portal, can be securely "pushed" to the edge of the Akamai network and executed closer to the user. In addition, Akamai's intelligent network understands Internet traffic conditions and creates a more efficient division of labor between centralized servers and those distributed at the edge of the network.
With this solution, WebSphere is introducing innovations around edge-based computing including embedded IBM database technology, new Web services capabilities, and enhanced security.
Akamai EdgeComputing Powered by WebSphere is available through IBM Global Services as well as through Akamai. The solution can be hosted by a customer, business partner, or IBM Global Services. IGS can also help companies integrate the solution through a range of consulting services.
"This announcement demonstrates IBM's commitment to offer solutions with partners that help customers maintain or reduce their costs while adding new functionality and simplifying and optimizing their IT environments," said Bob Sutor, Director of WebSphere Infrastructure Software, IBM. "With this WebSphere/Akamai solution, companies can more flexibly serve their customers and trading partners, and improve their ability to respond to market opportunities."
"Akamai is delighted to work with IBM to offer EdgeComputing Powered by WebSphere, which enables enterprises to consume WebSphere on demand," said Chris Schoettle, executive vice president, Technology, Networks and Support, Akamai. "This solution allows companies to extend their WebSphere applications across Akamai's global network on a real-time, pay-as-you go basis, without having to plan or provision capacity themselves. EdgeComputing eliminates time-to-market constraints for businesses that need to turn their application ideas into application reality in order to quickly respond to new opportunities, competitive challenges and changing market conditions."
About WebSphere
WebSphere is the industry-leading Internet infrastructure software, or middleware, for creating, running and integrating e-business applications across a variety of computing platforms. Built on open standards such as J2EE, XML and the new Web services standards, and endowed with IBM's core strengths of reliability, scalability and security, WebSphere server software and development tools are used by tens of thousands of customers. For more information: http://www.ibm.com/websphere
About Akamai
Akamai® provides services that enable the world's leading enterprises and government agencies to extend and control their e-business infrastructure. Having deployed the world's largest, globally-distributed computing platform, Akamai ensures the highest levels of availability, reliability, security, and performance of networked information and application delivery. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Akamai's industry-leading services, matched with world-class customer care, are used by hundreds of successful enterprises, government entities, and Web businesses around the globe. For more information, visit www.akamai.com.
| Contacts: |
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| Laurie Friedman Media Relations IBM Corp. 914-766-1299 laurie1@us.ibm.com |
--or-- | Jeff Young Media Relations Akamai Technologies 617-444-3913 jyoung@akamai.com |
Somers, NY and Cambridge, Mass. -- May 1, 2003 -- A new IBM WebSphere software solution with Akamai Technologies, Inc. will speed up response time to business opportunities, provide fast, global access to Web applications, and lower the cost of running an IT infrastructure.
The new solution, to be called Akamai® EdgeComputingSM Powered by WebSphere®, will enable companies to tap into virtualized Internet computing capacity on demand on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.
A top item on many corporate technology wish lists is the ability to take advantage of virtual capacity as needed to rapidly meet new market opportunities. Many companies can't take full advantage of the Internet today to drive business growth since periodic spikes in traffic - such as a sales promotion that draws millions of Web site hits in a matter of hours -- can slow down response when supported by the company's existing IT infrastructure.
With this new solution, customers can head off network congestion by extending applications built on WebSphere, the industry's leading Internet infrastructure software, to Akamai's distributed network of more than 15,000 servers to handle everyday Web application traffic and spikes in demand. Businesses can avoid the high cost of purchasing extra peak-use servers that otherwise might sit underutilized, while benefiting from the performance and reliability of Akamai's global network.
New enhancements to WebSphere Application Server and development tools will enable customers to build, deploy and run applications for an on demand environment. Features will include easy one-button network deployment, embedded IBM database technology, and Web services caching capabilities.
The solution's virtualized network shortens the time it takes to process user requests. Specific application functions, such as creating and viewing a personalized portal, can be securely "pushed" to the edge of the Akamai network and executed closer to the user. In addition, Akamai's intelligent network understands Internet traffic conditions and creates a more efficient division of labor between centralized servers and those distributed at the edge of the network.
With this solution, WebSphere is introducing innovations around edge-based computing including embedded IBM database technology, new Web services capabilities, and enhanced security.
Akamai EdgeComputing Powered by WebSphere is available through IBM Global Services as well as through Akamai. The solution can be hosted by a customer, business partner, or IBM Global Services. IGS can also help companies integrate the solution through a range of consulting services.
"This announcement demonstrates IBM's commitment to offer solutions with partners that help customers maintain or reduce their costs while adding new functionality and simplifying and optimizing their IT environments," said Bob Sutor, Director of WebSphere Infrastructure Software, IBM. "With this WebSphere/Akamai solution, companies can more flexibly serve their customers and trading partners, and improve their ability to respond to market opportunities."
"Akamai is delighted to work with IBM to offer EdgeComputing Powered by WebSphere, which enables enterprises to consume WebSphere on demand," said Chris Schoettle, executive vice president, Technology, Networks and Support, Akamai. "This solution allows companies to extend their WebSphere applications across Akamai's global network on a real-time, pay-as-you go basis, without having to plan or provision capacity themselves. EdgeComputing eliminates time-to-market constraints for businesses that need to turn their application ideas into application reality in order to quickly respond to new opportunities, competitive challenges and changing market conditions."
About WebSphere
WebSphere is the industry-leading Internet infrastructure software, or middleware, for creating, running and integrating e-business applications across a variety of computing platforms. Built on open standards such as J2EE, XML and the new Web services standards, and endowed with IBM's core strengths of reliability, scalability and security, WebSphere server software and development tools are used by tens of thousands of customers. For more information: http://www.ibm.com/websphere
About Akamai
Akamai® provides services that enable the world's leading enterprises and government agencies to extend and control their e-business infrastructure. Having deployed the world's largest, globally-distributed computing platform, Akamai ensures the highest levels of availability, reliability, security, and performance of networked information and application delivery. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Akamai's industry-leading services, matched with world-class customer care, are used by hundreds of successful enterprises, government entities, and Web businesses around the globe. For more information, visit www.akamai.com.
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