To make it easier for users to build their own private and hybrid cloud systems using IBM technology, the company has added its distribution of the OpenStack cloud hosting software to its recently launched online market of products and services.
The move continues the work IBM is doing to migrate its application portfolio to the cloud. IBM envisions the software, called the IBM Cloud Manager with OpenStack, being used by organizations to run hybrid clouds, where workloads can be run either within the data centers of organizations, or on a public cloud run by IBM or another vendor.
IBM is testing a new self-provisioning service that would allow OpenStack workloads to be easily moved from a private cloud to IBM's own SoftLayer-based cloud.
IBM purchased the SoftLayer hosting provider last year for US$1.2 billion and is using the SoftLayer infrastructure as the basis for its own global cloud service.
The software includes the latest version of the open source OpenStack, called IceHouse. It also includes another IBM product, IBM SmartCloud Entry, which provides a set of functions for running and managing clouds.
IBM Cloud Manager with OpenStack can be run on IBM System z mainframe systems, IBM System z servers, as well as any x86 system. It also runs on a number of IBM packaged systems including Power Systems, PureFlex and Flex Systems.
The software package is also included in a line of new IBM Power Systems servers called the IBM Power Systems Solution Edition for Scale Out Cloud. These servers are built on POWER8 processors and include the PowerKVM hypervisor for running virtualized workloads.
Last month, IBM launched its own online portal for procuring IBM services and products, called the IBM Marketplace. The company has been working over the past year to make many of its software products available as cloud services.
IBM is one of a number of companies offering commercially supported distributions of the open source OpenStack software. Others include Red Hat, Canonical, Rackspace and Mirantis.
Managed services provider Zetark, SAP integrator and IT hosting company Agentil, and the University of San Francisco have all used IBM Cloud Manager with OpenStack.
Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab's e-mail address is Joab_Jackson@idg.com