IBM has unveiled a new initiative to extend its software delivery model towards cloud computing applications for its ISVs and customers.

Big Blue has announced a selection of new software services and technical resources aimed at helping ISVs build new applications using open standards-based technology.

These include new white papers, online demos and downloadable code to address the challenges of cloud architecture. Enhanced technical blueprints and technical support are also now available through IBM’s global network of 40 Innovation Centres.

IBM has also created a new SaaS Enablement Network to help its ISVs deliver interoperable SaaS solutions. The vendor added 100 partners to its SaaS Specialty programme in 2008 – in the process nearly doubling its SaaS partner ecosystem.

In addition IBM Business Partners can also utilise new marketing resources, which include free web conferencing services using the IBM Lotus Sametime Unyte service. The Sametime Unyte service offers web conferences, the sharing of documents, presentations or applications through a web connection, but without the need for any on-site software server deployment.

Willy Chiu, vice president for high performance on demand solutions at IBM, said: “We are moving our clients, the industry and even IBM itself to have a mixture of data and applications that live in the data centre and in the cloud.

“IBM’s cloud computing strategy was inspired by feedback from the business world’s broadest IT customer base indicating a growing desire to utilise data, applications and services from any device and from any location based on open standards.”