Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have similar challenges as large corporations but must solve them with limited or no IT resources. They need to compete globally and they require industry-specific solutions that help them automate, simplify, and speed product-to-market cycles. Therefore, SMBs need collaboration and business solutions so they can work with customers and suppliers. Two announcements from IBM are designed to help.
IBM Lotus Foundations will be a line of small business software servers, installed on-premise, for companies with five to 500 employees. Also, a Web-delivered service codenamed "Bluehouse" provides extranet services so SMBs can securely collaborate outside their organizations.
According to IBM, the combination of Lotus Foundations and Bluehouse gives software solutions in simple to acquire and manage packages. These two offerings, used separately or in combination, give organizations the benefit of enterprise-strength software delivered as a turn-key package for businesses that might not have an IT staff.
"Small-and-medium sized business represents a significant growth opportunity for IBM," said Mike Rhodin, IBM Lotus Software general manager. "Our SMB approach -- which combines easy-to-deploy, self-managed on premise servers with Web-delivered, extranet collaboration services -- uniquely empowers SMBs to succeed in any market."
IBM Lotus Foundations is based on Linux. Its server software requires minimal technical expertise and is autonomic, so it can manage and heal itself. IBM anticipates that the first component of the Lotus Foundations product line will include a pre-loaded, one-stop-shop solution for small companies: Lotus Domino mail and collaboration platform, file management, directory services, firewall, back-up and recovery, and office productivity tools. Designed to accommodate growth, customers will be able to add users or servers when needed. System integrators and independent software vendors will be able to integrate their applications into the Foundations platform.
A key component of the Lotus Foundations family will be technology acquired through IBM's purchase of Net Integration Technologies. Lotus Domino is already integrated into the Net Integration platform.
The Bluehouse suite of collaboration services will let businesses work together by sharing contacts, files, project activities, and interacting with chat and Web meetings. These services will let small companies collaborate with other organizations without in-house technical expertise. Click here for the limited beta of Bluehouse.