Why AIX Fits Well With Hybrid Cloud Strategies
In the last two years, we have seen a dramatic upswing in the number of IBM clients that are investing in full-scale projects to modernize their critical IT infrastructure. Some are looking to optimize their software licenses by consolidating workloads onto smaller footprints and moving nonessential capacity to offsite clouds. Others are developing new applications and business processes that will accelerate how they capitalize on market shifts using modern data platforms and cognitive technologies, such as machine learning, that are built from open-source frameworks.
We understand clients need AIX* to support key critical workloads, but they also feel pressure from executives and peers to modernize their infrastructure for the next wave of technology. Furthermore, they need to support and accomplish all this while finding a cost-effective route to the cloud. That’s no easy task. IBM recognizes that clients are actively researching and developing cloud strategies that by their very nature are open source. So, as clients move to the cloud, we want to help them understand how AIX fits into their cloud strategies and position them for their future IT needs.
Almost every client I speak to is moving toward a hybrid cloud model, but their businesses require their infrastructure to be available and secure. According to the Information Technology Industry Council, corporate enterprise users rated IBM server hardware as the most reliable platform, besting 14 server hardware and 11 different server virtualization platforms for the past nine years. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that AIX has a strong track record of delivering unbeatable security and compliance to hybrid cloud environments.
Of course, in today’s world, providing benchmark security and availability isn’t sufficient. That’s why we’ve been working with partners in the open-source community to support best-of-breed cloud orchestration technologies such as Chef, OpenStack and Yum. And we have a robust set of open-source tools in the AIX environment: gcc, perl, php, node.js, bash, Apache, etc. We’re serious about making sure IT administrators accustomed to Linux* can get comfortable quickly in an AIX environment.
Finally, AIX is nothing without its ecosystem. That’s why we’re working closely with partners to ensure that clients have options for deploying AIX both on and off premises, a critical capability for any hybrid cloud architecture. We’re committed to making it simple for AIX environments to run alongside Linux workloads, and for IBM Power Systems* servers to easily coexist with other platforms in mixed private clouds.
Let’s work together to modernize your infrastructure to support your journey to the hybrid cloud, while ensuring that the infrastructure your business relies on is prepared for the cognitive era.