According to the findings of a new study released by the IBM Center for Applied Insights, the need to streamline new application development is driving demand for a relatively new form of cloud computing known as Platform as a Service (PaaS).
In response, IBM has announced a new PaaS offering to help organizations build and deploy their own software applications quickly and effectively by renting IBM's PaaS cloud computing platform of integrated middleware, monitoring, networks, servers and storage.
IBM’s survey of more than 1,500 IT decision-makers from 18 countries has found that forward-looking IT leaders are blazing the trail with early adoption of PaaS for business advantage – citing big data as the # 1 reason amongst several strategic initiatives they were targeting. The study also showed that nearly 20 per cent of the respondents are currently using PaaS, although more than half recognize the opportunity.
“Just as auto makers have used common platforms or chassis to manufacture their lines of cars more efficiently, PaaS allows organizations to standardize their IT platform and quickly introduce new competitive offerings," said Erich Clementi, Senior Vice-President, IBM Global Technology Services. “IBM is focussed on industrializing this cloud platform to drive business innovation around key enterprise applications.”
IBM's new PaaS cloud offering, SmartCloud Application Services, provides self-service, instant access to an application development suite of tools, middleware and databases, available via pattern-based technology.
The study found that 49 per cent of IT decision-makers see the strategic importance of PaaS as a way to drive innovation and improve the whole application lifecycle across the enterprise. They are now contemplating using PaaS as a pragmatic approach to future expansion. They believe PaaS can drive greater differentiation and strategic impact for a business, by standardizing efforts for development, deployment, production and maintenance.
