IBM has acquired database-as-a-service (DBaaS) provider Cloudant for undisclosed sum to strengthen its big data and analytics capability, cloud computing as well as mobile offerings.
Cloudant could also compliment its own Big Data and Analytics portfolio by strengthening traditional data management technologies and providing a database-as-a-service to enable clients to simplify and accelerate the development of scalable mobile and web apps.
The database-as-a-service (DBaaS) provider helps developers to quickly create mobile and web apps with clients including gaming, financial services, mobile device manufacturers, online learning, retail and healthcare.
IBM Databases & Data Warehousing vice president Sean Poulley said with the acquisition of Cloudant, IBM is helping to fuel a new era of next generation mobile and web apps built on the cloud.
"Boosting IBM’s Big Data and analytics, cloud computing and mobile offerings, Cloudant’s open, cloud database service will bring entirely new levels of simplicity and scalability to developers," Poulley said.
Following the completion of the acquisition, Cloudant will be integrated with IBM’s newly formed Information and Analytics Group, which is part of IBM Software & Systems Group led by Senior Vice President Bob Picciano.
Cloudant offers JSON cloud-based data service, which helps mobile and web developers to quickly and easily store and access mobile data using an application programming interface (API).
With the flexibility of NoSQL, developers are opting for it, and JSON offers NoSQL database technology for mobile and web app developers.
Cloudant technology is expected to boost IBM’s cloud computing solution by offering developers tools and resources to build, test, deploy and scale cloud apps on a variety of hosting layers, the company added.
Cloudant CEO Derek Schoettle said a new generation of developers has grown up coding against web frameworks and cloud infrastructure.
"When Cloudant launched in 2010, we knew this next wave of innovation would be a core market for our service. Now in 2014, we’re seeing web development transition to the enterprise, and, as part of IBM, we couldn’t be in a better spot," Schoettle said.
