IBM Archives - Page 60 of 66

December 27, 2014

Supplier Report: 12/27/2014

IBM

IBM is planning to buy back $50B in their own stock over the next 5 years….
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/27/why-warren-buffett-is-excited-he-lost-1-billion.aspx
SoftLayer opening cloud hosting center in Japan
http://finchannel.com/index.php/technology/item/39833-ibm-opened-first-cloud-data-center-with-softlayer-in-japan
IBM supporting biometrics for BYOD use

While the article acknowledges potential security problems inherent to biometric technology, it argues that biometrics is best used as part of a multi-factor authentication security solution. The article notes that “adding mobile device biometrics to BYOD provides another layer to security, and the more security methods a device provides means a better chance at safer data.”

http://www.biometricupdate.com/201412/ibm-supports-biometrics-for-corporate-byod-use
IBM cloud service had “breakthrough year”:
IBM is expected to $94B in total revenue this year. In 2013, cloud services equated to $4.4B in sales, they are expecting to beat that number this year by 50%
http://www.brecorder.com/it-a-computers/206/1254914/

Oracle

Oracle’s cloud service sales rise 45% over previous year (on track to sell $1B in cloud subscriptions this year)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-it/it-digest-oracles-cloud-sales-rise-45percent-from-previous-year/2014/12/19/36051b84-860e-11e4-b9b7-b8632ae73d25_story.html
Oracle acquires DataLogix:

Oracle announced it has acquired Datalogix, a data corporation specializing in audience tracking, for an undisclosed amount. Datalogix focuses on “information as a service,” and works with businesses including Ford, Kraft, Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.macroinsider.com/technology/oracle-acquires-data-tracking-firm-datalogix-h5148.html

Not really related to supplier management, but I found this interesting (and HP news was light this week). HP released a new 14-chromebook the same week they released a $200 dollar Windows machine (a Chromebook competitor). So they are essentially competing with themselves….
http://www.bidnessetc.com/31452-hp-rolls-out-google-chromebook-14-laptop-with-touchscreen-and-hd-resolution/

Other

More on China ousting foreign IT suppliers:
http://thediplomat.com/2014/12/chinas-quest-to-oust-foreign-tech-firms/
Top 10 BI trends for 2015 (from Tableau)

We are starting to see an age when data is accessible and interactive enough that it can become the backbone of a conversation. Now that people have flexible, speed-of-thought analytical tools, they can quickly analyze data, mash it up with other data and redesign it to create a new perspective. Meetings can become more engaging as people explore data together rather than plod through a set of slides and take down actions for later. And as a result of this collaboration, organizations will get more insight from their data.

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/10-top-trends-for-bi-in-2015-1278352

December 21, 2014January 30, 2016

The Supply Chain: 12/22/2014

sn_SupplyChainManagement_o2 I am introducing a new feature on the blog – The Supply Chain. This post will have information about what is happening in the world of SCM to help us get better ideas and confirm paths we are already walking down.

Should Chief Procurement Officers (CPO) morph into Chief Metrics Officers (C#O)?

The IBM study found that most CPOs are gunning to develop a 360-degree global, integrated view of sourcing, which will by definition include assessing both inputs and outputs. They’re also focused on enabling innovation, primarily by finding ways to get projects launched faster, but with manageable metrics attached.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2014/12/19/could-procurement-validate-marketing-metrics/print/
TCS Recognized as a Leader in Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Outsourcing
http://www.itbusinessnet.com/article/TCS-Recognized-as-a-Leader-in-Procure-to-Pay-(P2P)-Outsourcing-by-Everest-Group-3668835
Supply Chain Experts Take a Cue from Fruit Fly Research

VANs pull data from different areas of a company’s supply chain to analyze trends and provide early detection of possible issues. They also help companies remain a step ahead through the use of predictive analytics, which can recognize possible demand signals before they happen and ensure their products are being procured and distributed in sufficient quantity. Thanks to this approach, companies have the ability to avoid stock outs. A VAN can also be used to identify districts that may be in danger of running out of key commodities as well as those that may have excess stock, which could be transferred elsewhere as emergency supplies.

http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2014/12/Supply-Chain-Experts-Take-a-Cue-from-Fruit-Fly-Research
Note on the term VANs: supply chain control towers—or visibility and analytics networks
Supply Chain Transparency: The Key Challenge In 2015?

In 2015, we need to see a greater understanding of how, where and why savings (or indeed discounts, kickbacks and rebates) are made, giving procurement and finance teams better toolsets to automate the measurement, reporting and validation of savings. Systems that are able to manage, accurately apply, record and provide awareness of contractual terms will aid the procurement function in delivering against governance targets, which inevitably will follow.

http://www.procurementleaders.com/blog/my-blog–guest-blog/2014/12/18/supply-chain-transparency-the-key-challenge-in-2015
Federal government struggles in IT procurement:

More than $1 out of every $6 in the federal government goes to contractors through a procurement vehicle, yet agencies continually struggle to get it right. That was apparent in 2014, a year marked by governmentwide efforts to reform acquisition, especially in IT.

http://fedscoop.com/federal-acquisition-2014-year-reform/
JP Morgan’s CPO (Richard Buccarelli) recently left the company
http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/12/15/j-p-morgans-chief-procurement-officer-leaves-bank/

December 20, 2014

Supplier Report: 12/20/2014

IBM

IBM is simplifying cloud-computing contracts

It’s ironic that cloud computing represents a faster and more innovative approach to doing business, yet lengthy and complex cloud business contracts from most vendors remain an obstacle,” said Neil Abrams, IBM vice president and assistant general counsel, in a statement. “By dramatically simplifying and accelerating how clients contract for cloud services, IBM is making it easier and faster for companies to reap the benefits of cloud.

http://www.eweek.com/cloud/ibm-simplifies-cloud-computing-contracts.html
IBM increasing global data centers by 25%

The company said on Wednesday it has now struck a partnership with data centre provider Equinix Inc for nine more cloud centres in Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands and the US. The company is also opening up three new cloud computer facilities of its own in Germany, Mexico and Japan.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/ibm-increase-global-data-centres-25
This clarifies it is in the SoftLayer space (as expected)
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/IBM-Inks-Cloud-Deal-with-Equinix/story.xhtml?story_id=10200BE2QPOO
US department of Veteran Affairs is tapping into Watson

the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is using Watson technology in a pilot to assist physicians in helping accelerate the process of evidence-based medical decision making. The VA joins leading healthcare organizations that are working with IBM Watson to help improve efficiency and quality of care being delivered

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-department-of-veterans-affairs-taps-ibm-watson-to-help-accelerate-and-enhance-care-delivery-2014-12-16

Oracle

Will Oracle be crushed by MongoDB or Hadoop?

Sherlund said that Hadoop and MongoDB technologies are becoming a threat for Oracle. Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) must work on new technologies apart from its on-premise business. He said there is a huge potential in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL); the company will generate $16 billion free cash flows next year and there are a plenty of options left for it.

http://www.techinsider.net/oracle-corporation-orcl-to-be-crushed-by-hadoop-mongodb/1120390.html
Oracle declares war on SalesForce

“I never heard Ellison this combative,” Cramer said. “There were eight mentions — eight mentions — of Salesforce.com and how Salesforce.com is slowing and they are accelerating. It was a good quarter, I almost feel like they are going back to the old strategy of Toto — turning of the oxygen to the other players in the cloud

http://www.benzinga.com/media/cnbc/14/12/5091609/how-oracle-declared-war-on-salesforce
Most of the Oracle news this week is around this positive earnings. This is a good summary:
http://www.emarketsdaily.com/oracle-corporation-nyseorcl-releases-highest-level-since-2000-the-year-the-dotcom-bubble-burst-nyseacn-nysenq/1823584/

HP fails (again) to get court approval for Autonomy settlement with shareholders
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-19/hp-s-autonomy-deal-shareholder-settlement-rejected-a-second-time

Other

America’s worst run companies
McDonalds, Avon, Mattel, and of course IBM make the list
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/12/19/americas-worst-run-companies
Yet another listicle – the worst Tech CEOs of 2014
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/13/the-worst-tech-ceos-of-2014.aspx
Splunk voted best business application by San Fran group:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20141217005156/en/Splunk-Enterprise-Voted-Business-Application-V3-Readers

December 13, 2014December 14, 2014

Supplier Report: 12/13/2014

sn_cloudcity

IBM

IBM banking software can take any file on your computer:

“[you agree lot let] the Program remotely to collect any files or other information from your computer that IBM security experts suspect may be related to malware or other malicious activity, or that may be associated with general Program malfunction.”

http://boingboing.net/2014/12/12/ibms-banking-security-softwa.html
Looks like the Apple/IBM partnership is starting to take shape… (dozens of articles about the 1st round of apps)

On Wednesday December 10, 2014, the two companies delivered the first iOS-exclusive apps under the partnership, which have wide-ranging implications and could be used across a broad spectrum of industries. The applications include: Plan Flight, designed to help airlines better manage fuel; Trusted Advice, which will assist financial advisors in managing client portfolios; and Case Advice, which helps government workers manage the workload of caseworkers based on real-time analytics .

http://www.nasdaq.com/article/apple-and-ibms-enterprise-partnership-bears-fruit-cm422720
Free Watson services for business are now in BETA:
http://blog.executivebiz.com/2014/12/ibm-rolls-out-beta-version-of-watson-analytics/
Follow-up on that IBM/Twitter deal from a few months ago:

Under the deal, IBM will gain full and unrestricted real time access to all public tweets, as well as and archives of past public tweets. The applications proper use of this data could be hugely significant. For instance, scientists could use analysis of Twitter data to learn more detailed information about how widely earthquakes are felt, giving more detailed information than is currently available, especially in less-studied areas. Or, health officials could use it like a Google Flu Tracker on steroids, providing detailed data on disease symptoms and transmission as they spread across areas.

http://www.business2community.com/twitter/twitter-ibm-unlikely-partnership-will-enrich-business-decision-making-01086912

Oracle

Oracle Q4 not good:

In the past three months based on the market expectation of an uptrend in software and a huge breakthrough in cloud computing its share prices had surged by over 10% and grew at a rate double to that of S&P 500. But all the steam fizzed out after the dismal numbers declared last Thursday and cast doubt onto Oracle’s execution in an industry facing increasingly tight competition.

http://www.gurufocus.com/news/298266/oracle-q4-rather-dismal

Cloud is their silver lining:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/2751865-oracle-a-silver-lining-in-cloud-computing
Oracle beaten for 4th spot in Global Server market by Cisco:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/2749865-oracle-loses-4th-spot-in-global-server-market-to-cisco

HP fails to deliver integrated system for state of NJ (5 years and $118m into the deal)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/nj-lawmakers-look-for-overhaul-of-state-s-antiquated-medicaid-food-stamp-system-1.1151889
HP inks deal for SAP to resell Fortify:

“With SAP Fortify by HP, SAP customers can now enhance the management of their software security risk by enabling proactive security testing throughout the entire software development lifecycle.” Application security helps strengthen SAP’s quality assurance portfolio of solutions, allowing users to Identify vulnerabilities early in the software development process, which is critical when attempting to combat potential cyber-attacks.

http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/562368/hp-inks-sap-reseller-deal/
HP plans to reinvent computing with different memory model and a new operating system called “The Machine”
[Bold words, can they deliver? Anybody remember IBM’s OS/2 or HP’s plans for the Palm purchase?]
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/533066/hp-will-release-a-revolutionary-new-operating-system-in-2015/

Other

SalesForce enabling customers to build their own app store:
http://www.informationweek.com/cloud/software-as-a-service/salesforcecom-says-build-your-own-app-store/d/d-id/1318067
Box pulling in Splunk and Symantec for their enterprise strategy
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/21847/20141209/box-tags-splunk-symantec-partner-expansion.htm

December 6, 2014

Supplier Report: 12/6/2014

sn_baseball_MarkBarron

IBM

IBM scores a $1.25B cloud deal in Europe (Thank you Ray for this find):

Late on Tuesday, IBM announced the third in a string of billion dollar plus contracts, saying it had won a seven-year, $1.25 billion deal with WPP, the world’s top advertising firm, to run WPP operations in the cloud

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ibm-signs-1-25-billion-wpp-cloud-deal-001452843–finance.html
Note: They also did a deal with Dockers
Note 2: They got an IT services deal with Thompson Reuters
Note 3: Here is a post saying don’t be fooled by the new business (These are “outsourcing” contracts, not real cloud deals. They are replacement revenue)
Interesting idea: Old laptop batteries could power slums:

An IBM study analysed a sample of discarded batteries and found 70% had enough power to keep an LED light on more than four hours a day for a year. Researchers said using discarded batteries is cheaper than existing power options, and also helps deal with the mounting e-waste problem.

http://www.malaysiandigest.com/technology/531419-old-laptop-batteries-could-power-slums-ibm-says.html
IBM partners with Cisco on storage (Cisco is also partnering with EMC and Netapp)
http://thevarguy.com/business-technology-solution-sales/120514/it-infrastructure-alliances-it-s-complicated
IBM tried to sue the US government over losing a bid to E&Y (they lost)

IBM, according to court records, scored higher than Ernst & Young on evaluations before the award decision. The company pitched about $85 million for the audit contract—$30 million higher than E&Y’s offer.

http://www.nationallawjournal.com/legaltimes/home/id=1202678233931/IBM-Loses-Suit-Over-Army-Auditing-Contract
Employment will be cut at IBM sites in Rochester and across the nation as the computer giant trims its work force by about 10,000 through a voluntary retirement program designed to cut costs. Early retirement offers will include one week’s pay for each six months of service up to a maximum of one year’s salary. The company employs 223,000 people in the United States.
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/day-in-history-ibm-to-cut-employment/article_a7ed49cc-4536-5846-874c-08dca4fa8152.html

Oracle

Oracle understands their customers don’t like them and what they plan to do about it…

Talking to a number of Oracle people, it is clear that this transformation is really underway and that this is not just rhetoric. Ebbeck has been out listening to customers, partners, suppliers and staff and having come in from the outside is not wedded to the legacy way of “being Oracle”.

http://www.cio.co.nz/article/560717/cio-blog-wind-change-oracle-thoughts-transformational-leadership/
Oracle and HP execs selling off their stocks (not really an exclusive Oracle story – take a look at the HP exec mentioned)
http://www.bidnessetc.com/30222-insider-selling-at-hewlettpackard-hpq-oracle-orcl-cisco-csco/

HP is going after Splunk because they are eating into their ArcSight business with their product offerings. (Note to self)
http://www.crn.com/news/security/300074975/hewlett-packard-battling-splunk-ibm-to-maintain-arcsight-dominance.htm
5 things Meg Whitman wants customers to know:

For perspective, remember three months ago Whitman told investors HP was ready to consider acquisitions, but only if such purchases fulfill a purpose HP can’t achieve organically through its own core R&D. As a result, when HP announced its Eucalyptus acquisition in mid-September, it spoke volumes regarding the strength of the cloud-based enterprise technology it was bringing into the fold.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/02/5-things-hewlett-packard-companys-ceo-wants-you-to.aspx
Note: They are also starting to buy back stocks too.
HP’s big data platform is now on the cloud and is called Haven:
http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/data-storage/business-intelligence/hp-big-data-cloud-service-haven-ondemand-156920

Other

How much did Microsoft lose on the BN Nook deal?

That aside, the deal was announced 977 days ago, and an un-adjusted $180.4 million loss over that period works out to $188,331 per day. That is both a lot of money, and not much money at all. In real terms, burning nearly $200,000 per day is quite expensive. For Microsoft, however, the total loss amounts to a minute percentage of its ready cash, not to mention its quarterly net income, making the figure inconsequential.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/04/heres-how-much-money-microsoft-lost-per-day-on-the-nook-deal/
How one woman helped Lenovo go global (story how they picked up desktop IBM business and a nice story about learning to do business with other cultures)
http://fortune.com/2014/12/01/the-woman-who-helped-lenovo-go-global/
2015 acquisition predictions (they are still calling for an HP-EMC merger)
http://www.zdnet.com/article/2015-it-vendor-upheaval-ahead/
Tableau to spend 28% of revenue on research. CEO Christian Chabot on their direction:

Here’s an amazing thing you can do with Tableau Online [the company’s first cloud foray]. You can just be at your desk. Let’s say you’re a teacher or a nurse or a journalist—you’re some inspired and critical-thinking person, but you definitely wouldn’t call yourself an analyst and you definitely wouldn’t call yourself an IT person. There you are, sitting with a spreadsheet full of data, with every article, or every student with every test they’ve ever taken, or every patient and every shift and every covering nurse. You can open Tableau’s software, and you can create an interactive, visual summary of everything going on. How patients are falling in and out of beds. Which students appear to be at risk. Or which articles on which days are producing the highest click-through rates.

http://fortune.com/2014/12/02/tableau-software-ceo-research/