Las Vegas – IBM InterConnect - 20 Mar 2017: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new cloud-based solution that provides workload security for data and applications and automates reporting to assist with regulatory requirements. The solution, IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization, is optimized for technology from Intel and HyTrust to simplify reporting demands for organizations in highly regulated industries and provide hardware-enhanced workload security.

IBM deploys an immune system-like approach to security – with data analytics and Watson for CyberSecurity helping clients to discover, manage and remediate threats across the entire enterprise. IBM is providing a security-rich cloud computing environment for customers by incorporating its own security technologies with capabilities from partners Intel and HyTrust.

Data security is a primary concern for enterprises considering hybrid cloud adoption – particularly in highly regulated industries such as financial services, healthcare and government. According to Technology Business Research, more than 40 percent of enterprises surveyed cite security as the most important factor in the hybrid cloud decision process[1].

IBM Cloud designed this new offering to assist clients with security concerns and compliance reporting readiness. IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization is a unique collaboration that automates the deployment of Intel® Xeon® processor-based servers with Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (Intel® TXT) and HyTrust CloudControl, DataControl and BoundaryControl software on IBM Cloud infrastructure.

The solution runs on VMware Cloud Foundation on IBM Cloud, taking advantage of the infrastructure automation jointly developed by IBM and VMware. This advanced automation supports deployment and integration of Intel and HyTrust technologies with the unified SDDC platform from VMware so IBM clients can continue to use familiar tools to manage their workloads without having to retool or refactor applications. This agility allows a client to go from months to days to deploy a security-rich cloud environment with reporting readiness capabilities that can assist with regulatory requirements.

Specifically geared toward clients in highly regulated industries, IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization is designed to give enterprises control over where their data is located to address performance, security or data privacy needs.

With IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization, clients may benefit from:

• Continuous monitoring and real-time reporting to help address regulatory readiness and reporting for industry compliance standards such as PCI 3.0, HIPAA and FISMA, among others.
• Geo-fencing at the hardware level for more control over where data can and cannot be moved. 
• More granular access controls to help reduce operational risk and configuration errors.

“With the rapid proliferation of data, cloud is becoming the platform enterprises turn to for innovation, but security and compliance concerns remain top of mind,” said John Considine, general manager for cloud infrastructure at IBM. “IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization can help facilitate cloud adoption and provide enterprises with an automated and security-rich cloud infrastructure to invigorate business innovation and growth.”

“Data centers and the cloud have a dramatic impact on businesses and consumers by enabling new and improved services around the globe,” said Raejeanne Skillern, vice president data center group and general manager of the CSP platform group at Intel. “Our collaboration with IBM delivers new and more secure cloud services based on Intel technologies enabled in the IBM cloud infrastructure. IBM’s services ensure workloads run and data encrypts on trusted servers in approved locations.”

“Customers demand the highest levels of security, scale and availability for mission critical workloads in the cloud,” said Eric Chiu, founder and president at HyTrust. “We are excited to collaborate with IBM on this unique cloud-based solution, leveraging HyTrust workload security solutions, to help automate compliance controls and security in the cloud.”

To learn more about IBM Cloud Secure Virtualization, please visit: https://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing/bluemix/products/secure-virtualization.

InterConnect is IBM's cloud and cognitive conference where more than 20,000 developers, clients and partners are being introduced to the latest advancements in cloud computing through 2,000 sessions, labs and certifications. IBM is positioning both enterprise and startup clients for success with a complete portfolio of cloud services and marquee partnerships, supporting a wide range of applications including: big data, analytics, blockchain and cognitive computing.

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