Big Blue and RedBack Team Up

IBM has teamed up with broadband provider RedBack Networks to offer on-demand IP services to service providers and carriers.

The Rapid IP Services for eBusiness solution, a joint offering by Armonk, N.Y.-based Big Blue (NYSE:IBM), its Austin, Texas-based Tivoli Systems subsidiary, and San Jose, Calif.-based Redback Networks (Nasdaq:RBAK), is a combination of a service portal with subscriber management and network activation technologies for user self-service capabilities.

“This integrated solution will furnish service providers and carriers with the ability to leverage Redback’s industry leading subscriber management systems, offering their customers more direct control over the types and quantity of Internet services they buy,” said Dave Carlquist, vice president, IBM Global Net Generation Business.

Benefits to subscribers include the ability to choose personalized IP-based services on demand and access them with personalized services through a Web-based portal.

“Our relationship with IBM means that carriers and service providers can capitalize on revenue-generating opportunities related to delivering value-added IP services with minimal investment in new infrastructure,” said Shailesh Shukla, vice president, corporate strategy and business development at Redback.

Redback Network’s advanced networking equipment, including the Redback SMS subscriber management system and the Redback SmartEdge multi-service optical platform, provide the network infrastructure for the carrier-grade IP services solution. IBM will provide a suite of revenue-generating applications, including secured WebSphere eCommerce solutions, e-Learning, content distribution management and managed backup and restore solutions.

IBM will also offer systems integration and e-business expertise for the solution. The e-business solutions will be managed by Tivoli using products like Tivoli Web Service Manager and Tivoli Storage Manager. The Redback’s Network Services Contractor network and services management software will be available on IBM’s server platform and DB2 Universal Database.

The initial combined IBM, Redback and Tivoli solution will be on display this week at the SUPERCOMM Trade Show in Atlanta from June 5 through 7, 2001.

IBM isn’t the only company to target telcos and other network service providers (NSPs). Last week alone, TeleComputing and Telera both unveiled offerings to help NSPs take advantage of their existing networks and customers to offer value-added application services, and telco giant Verizon began offering ASP Rivio’s Business Services suite to its customers.