IBM Expands Express Advantage Line With Security, Data Backup

Express Advantage is IBM's line of products and services pre-configured for mid-size customers, a $253 billion market, according to IBM estimates, and largely sold through channel partners. IBM, which earlier this year announced a major push to expand midmarket sales through the channel, unveiled the new services just days before the start of the vendor's Business Partner Leadership Conference this week in Los Angeles.

"We've had a very partner-friendly strategy in hardware and software and we're trying to be more partner-friendly in the area of services as well," said Steven Solazzo, general manager of IBM Global General Business, in an interview.

IBM has added two solutions to its Express Advantage Business Continuity line that are hosted by IBM and sold by channel partners. IBM Information Protection Services -- Remote Data Protection Express is an automatic data backup and recovery service for Windows servers and PCs in distributed and remote environments. The service, based on capabilities IBM gained through its December 2007 acquisition of Arsenal Digital Solutions, includes hardware, software, and management and monitoring services. IBM Information Protection Services -- Data Retention and Archival E-Mail Management Express offers e-mail backup and archiving services.

On the security side, new Express Advantage offerings include Express Penetration Testing services for simulating network attacks, and the Express Managed Protection Services for Servers, providing security, monitoring and management services. The Express Multi-Function Security Bundle offers protection against network threats, worms, viruses, spyware and spam in a single solution for companies that manage their own security operations. And the Express Managed Multi-Function Security Bundle for customers that want a managed solution that provides security protection and monitoring services, including firewall, VPN, behavioral and signature antivirus, intrusion protection, anti-spam and Web filtering services.

"Complexity is usually a roadblock to sales," said Gregory Faust, CEO of Valid Technologies, an IBM Express Advantage partner in the security market. Small and mid-size businesses "need packages that are easy and intuitive," he said.

The new services follow a number of other systems and services IBM has recently added to the Express Advantage lineup. Earlier this month IBM debuted the IBM Power 520 Express and IBM Power 550 Express servers and IBM BladeCenter JS12 Express pre-configured blade computing system, all targeting small and mid-sized businesses.

Solazzo also said IBM is providing $50 million in additional "incentive funding" that the company will pay channel partners in bonuses and enhanced margins for closing deals with mid-market customers. "We're trying to enhance the attractiveness of selling into the midmarket for our channel partners," the IBM executive said.