InternetBPM Tie-up Craze Claims IBM, Ilog

Big Blue and the software maker make their long partnership complete.

For the past 10 years, IBM has incorporated various Ilog technologies into several of its products, including its WebSphere Process Server business process management (BPM) suite, and now with IBM's pending acquisition of the French software vendor, the two companies are as one. IBM's purchase of Ilog continues the trend of acquisitions in the attractive market for BPM applications. Large vendors have been snapping up small independent makers of BPM products that will allow their customers to squeeze more value out of IT. Oracle bought BEA for $8.5 billion earlier this year, and SAP acquired Business Objects for $6.7 billion in October. Sandy Carter, IBM's vice president of SOA (service oriented architecture) (define) and WebSphere, told InternetNews.com that the purchase of Ilog will boost the company in three key areas: business rules, optimization and visualization. RELATED ARTICLES Services, Software Keep Pace in IBM's Q2 Profit IBM, Rackable Team Up on Blades IBM Swallows PwC Consulting BPM Market Heating Up, Metastorm Rising? SAP, Business Objects in $6.7B Merger For more stories on this topic: For example, some of Ilog's business rules are already integrated with IBM's WebSphere Process Server BPM suite, Carter said, but incorporating the full set will "bring the ability to govern those rules and manage more complex rules," she explained. Meanwhile, IBM's Center of Business Optimization... [ Read more on www.internetnews.com ]

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