[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

IBM has announced a set of global initiatives aimed at further expanding its cloud ecosystem.  As more clients embrace cloud computing, they are looking to local technology providers known as Managed Service Providers (MSP) to help them quickly develop cloud based services in a more simplistic, secure and economical way, says IBM. Managed service providers deliver a defined set of technology solutions or services to clients with a pay-as-you-go model. MSPs are largely leveraged by customers which want to take advantage of cloud technologies but lack the internal IT skills, resources and time.

To begin with, IBM is enabling managed service providers (MSPs) to build solutions and services on top of IBM technologies such as SmartCloud, PureSystems, and analytics. The company will also provide MSPs access to IBM experts at four new global centers of excellence. IBM is also launching new Global Centers of Excellence in Shanghai, Tokyo, Ehningen, Germany, and New York City. MSPs will also have access to IBM’s Innovation Centers for joint client engagements. IBM will launch a virtual briefing center that will provide an ongoing forum for MSPs to share ideas and knowledge around industry challenges clients are facing.

IBM will also offer financing options through IBM Global Financing to help MSPs acquire new technologies.

IBM has built relationships with more than 1,400 MSPs, such as Perimeter, Symmetry, Velocity, CenterBeam, Oxford Networks, PEER 1 Hosting, Connectria, and others. These MSPs are focused on delivering industry specific capabilities such as helping a small healthcare provider manage digital records on the cloud securely, or helping a midsize bank enable their clients to securely conduct more and more of their daily transactions via smartphones.