IBM launches global service to help data centers

NEW YORK - International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news) said on Tuesday it would offer global service products aimed at helping companies to make their computer data centers more reliable to save on the cost of energy used to run those computer centers.

IBM said it set up a new service group with 500 employees with an aim to take a piece of what it estimates is a $24 billion annual market from companies looking to renovate, or expand their computer data centers or build new ones.

It said the services include helping companies identify problems with their data centers, including heat-related issues that could create outages as well as advising how data centers could be designed to save on power costs.

Armonk, New York-based IBM derives more than half of its revenue from its global services division. In the first half of this year its service revenue was $23.46 billion revenue compared with total revenue of $42.55 billion.

It said the $24 billion estimate comes from IBM and from research firm IDC

// October 10th, 2006