IBM And SAP To Build On Cloud, Big Data Partnership With Cognitive Capabilities

IBM and SAP are extending their existing cloud and big data partnership to cover ‘cognitive’ extensions that the companies claim will help customers modernise their systems and “accelerate” their digital transformation.

The two firms agreed a deal in October 2014 for SAP to offer its HANA Enterprise Cloud on IBM’s cloud platform and have also worked together on IBM Power systems that can run SAP HANA’s in-memory analytics on-premise.

These activities will be expanded through collaboration on new cloud and on-premise products, but also through the addition of machine learning capabilities for the SAP S/4HANA business suite using IBM’s cognitive APIs. This, it is claimed, will help customers make better business decisions when analysing their data.

IBM SAP deal

The partnership will also see IBM and SAP work on integrated services, industry specific roadmaps and a focus on user experience. For example, IBM’s design skills used in the creation of MobileFirst for iOS applications will help make both companies’ products easier to use.

Both will allocate resources, such as staff, in two dedicated locations – Walldorf in SAP’s native Germany and Palo Alto, in California’s Silicon Valley.

“The future of business strategy and business value will proceed from the foundational elements of this announcement — cognitive, cloud and the design of consumer-quality experiences in every industry,” said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president of IBM Global Business Services.

“We’re formalising a complementary set of capabilities to simplify and speed outcomes for clients evolving to become cognitive enterprises.”

“Today’s announcement builds on SAP’s commitment to enable strong, growing businesses that can seize the amazing opportunities of the digital economy,” added Rob Enslin, president of Global Customer Operations at SAP.

“SAP S/4HANA is the reimagined suite of core business applications that has once again set the standard for the industry. I’m delighted that IBM and SAP will collaborate closely to give customers a clear road map to innovating new business models and outcomes that were never before possible.”

Earlier this week, IBM announced a partnership with DocuSign that will see the latter’s eSignature technology integrated in IBM services and software.

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