IBM has acquired partner DataPower in a bid that will launch Big Blue into
the application-oriented networking market Cisco was expecting to dominate.
Cambridge, Mass.-based DataPower makes hardware appliances that integrate,
accelerate and secure XML-based messages from computer to computer to
improve transactions.
This is an increasingly important function thanks to the proliferation of
XML-based Web services that threaten to
clog networks at a time when corporations are trying to accommodate more
transactions and orchestrate business processes.
Cisco entered the
market in June, prompting praise from analysts who believed the company
needed to diversify its revenue streams.
But it had no large threats in its way, with standalone startups like DataPower, Reactivity, Layer 7 and Forum Systems trolling for customers.
Enter Big Blue and its multi-billion-dollar market capitalization.
“Cisco, with AON, puts forth the argument that you can push XML
DataPower also earlier this year achieved integration and interoperability
Financial details were not disclosed, but IBM said in a statement it plans
to introduce a family of appliances based on DataPower technology to help
it boost its service-oriented architecture (SOA)
The deal seems to be perfect.
DataPower has been looking for more exposure to boost its revenues. To this
point, IBM has had a broad, deep suite of SOA software and services but no
true hardware combination to offer customers one single solution to meet
their distributed computing needs.
Adding DataPower fills a sizeable hole in Big Blue’s SOA portfolio, because
it will be able to offer secure, speedy and integrated XML messaging from
one box, rather than a bunch of point solutions from WebSphere and IGS.
ZapThink analyst Jason Bloomberg agreed.
“DataPower is the sales leader in the application-oriented networking space,
and they have already cultivated solid relationships with the WebSphere,
IGS, and hardware groups,” Bloomberg said. “DataPower’s product suite of
integration, security, and performance appliances will fill various holes
within IBM’s broad SOA offering.”
It is unclear how Cisco will respond, especially as the networking giant and
IBM have been symbiotic partners for years. Forrester Research analyst Randy
Heffner sees room enough for both vendors in the nascent space despite the
overlap.
“This is a perfect dichotomy to show the tension in future IT architecture
design,” Heffner said. “XML’s inspectability opens options for where to deal
with it.
processing farther down into the network. IBM, with DataPower, reminds us
that XML needs tight integration with applications and application
platforms.
“In the end, the wide variety of XML usage scenarios will likely prove that
both models are needed,” Heffner said.
Customers should be pleased. The purchase will give customers two major
vendors to acquire competent Web services transaction processing engines.
The most well known in a group that includes Reactivity, Forum Systems and
Layer 7, DataPower has cultivated many relationships in the space,
particularly with IBM.
IBM’s global services group recently agreed to resell DataPower’s
appliances.
At SuperComm in June, DataPower unveiled a
new networking blade geared toward speeding up XML content in IBM’s BladeCenter
T for telecommunications carriers.
of its XS40 XML Security Gateway with IBM’s autonomic computing environment.
DataPower CEO Jim Ricotta will continue to manage DataPower and will
undertake additional responsibility within IBM’s WebSphere software group.
DataPower employees will become IBM employees.
