IBM Announces Cloud Partnerships in Japan

IBM on Thursday announced several new desktop cloud deals in the Japanese financial sector.

Japanese Sugamo Shinkin Bank will partner with IBM to utilize its Smart Business Desktop Cloud, and has begun migrating 900 personal computers from its 45 sites to the new environment. The bank previously needed to configure computers at each of its 45 sites separately. The new desktop cloud environment provides automatic updates and will eliminate the need to update releases and configuration on each computer, with all machines instead receiving updates as the server does. Initially, 200 terminals at five sites will start operating the desktop cloud environment in August, with completion at all Sugamo Shinkin's sites expected by the end of the year.

Elsewhere in Japan, Taiyo Life Insurance and T&D Information Systems also announced they have built a virtual client environment with IBM to improve operational workflow. Taiyo Life Insurance developed an application for mission critical operations that integrates insurance operations from new contract creation and maintenance to payment. T&D Information System, which develops business applications for Taiyo Life Insurance, established a process to outsource some system development operations to Dalian, China, to enhance development capability, streamline system development and reduce cost.