IBM steps up open-source cloud commitment to developers

Compose helps users develop applications, without worrying about database back-ends.

IBM has not yet disclosed the finances involved in the acquisition, although we predict it to be $10 million plus.

IBM argues developerWorks Open comes at “an important time” for cloud developers, stressing the need to simplify implementations. Compose offers auto-scaling, production-ready databases to help software development teams deploy data services quickly and easily. According to IBM, database-as-a-service (DBaaS) offerings like Compose’s MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Redis and PostgreSQL are adding to this growth. “With developerWorks Open, we are open sourcing additional IBM innovations that we feel have the potential to grow the community and ecosystem and eventually become established technologies”, said the firm’s vice president of cloud architecture and technology, Dr Angel Diaz.

Compose claims it has users from various industries, and around 3,600 companies that are now utilizing its services.

“Compose’s breadth of database offerings will expand IBM’s Bluemix platform for the many app developers seeking production-ready databases built on open source”, said Derek Schoettle, the general manager of IBM Cloud Data Services, in today’s announcement. Compose was on a mission to establish a platform for developers who could build apps without any apprehension of their database backends. Compose provides constant database monitoring and management by DBaaS and DevOps experts. It also features built-in redundancy, backup and failover for uninterrupted DBaaS service, and application uptime. “IBM is really serious about fleshing out their cloud services”, said Rob Enderle, founder of the Enderle Group and longtime IBM watcher. IBM also mentions that they are sponsoring Hackathons, a Student Developer Community and a program called Bluemix U, which teaches students all about the Bluemix platform.

IBM’s Academic Initiative for Cloud gives schools access to Bluemix to enable faculty and students to build applications in their courses for no charge, thereby gaining hands-on familiarity with cloud services. “This acquisition is in support of that strategy”.

The company said Wednesday it launched the Academic Initiative for Cloud to incorporate the Bluemix platform into cloud development curricula at 210 universities worldwide.

IBM also announced collaboration with GSVlabs, a combination coworking space, startup incubator, and training organization based in Silicon Valley. Bluemix services include some delivered via Cloud Foundry and others delivered from IBM and other third-party vendors.