SWsoft announced that IT FACTORY has selected SWsoft Virtuozzo Containers server virtualization software in its IT FACTORY Platform as a Service (PaaS), a hosted software-as-a-service platform geared for independent software vendors (ISVs) who develop business applications on IBM open standards technology.

IT FACTORY PaaS will provide ISVs with the infrastructure needed to develop, provision, administer and deploy new and existing software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications. A one-stop shop for SaaS enablement, the IT FACTORY platform uses SWsoft Virtuozzo to achieve multi-tenancy by providing each SaaS customer (tenant) with their own copy of a software application running inside a secure environment, saving ISVs the time and expense to rewrite their applications for SaaS.

"By integrating SWsoft Virtuozzo virtualization into our IT FACTORY Platform as a Service, we are able to provide ISVs with a fully-automated platform for delivering applications using a SaaS delivery model," said Carsten Sjorup, CTO, IT FACTORY. Virtuozzo provides isolated containers for single tenant applications with lower overhead and superior performance than competing virtualization technologies. Virtuozzo uses the Application Packaging Standard (APS) to seamlessly integrate a broad range of applications for SaaS.  It also runs IBM applications, such as the IBM WebSphere Application and Portal Server, IBM Lotus Domino and Notes, IBM DB2, IBM Rational Application Developer, and others.

“Working together with IT Factory and SWsoft helps provide a complete solution for IBM’s large installed base of ISVs who want to enter the market with a SaaS offering,” said Dave Mitchell, SaaS Program Director, IBM Software Group. “IBM is committed to helping its business partners understand the benefits of adopting a SaaS model, and providing them with the resources needed to embrace this business model.”
 
Using IT FACTORY PaaS, customers will be able to manage their virtual environments more effectively than with a dedicated server. IT FACTORY and SWsoft are working to automate additional business processes such as online ordering and invoicing. 

"SWsoft virtualization and automation software provides powerful technology to help IT FACTORY deliver their Platform as a Service offering," said Michael Gold, senior vice president, SWsoft. "SWsoft is committed to helping ISVs realize the benefits of SaaS by advancing an open platform and the APS standard to help ISVs move rapidly to SaaS."

The news is another step in IBM's commitment to helping business partners take advantage of the growing SaaS opportunity. IBM has collaborated with more than 160 business partners helping them transition their software solutions to a subscription-based delivery model, and more than 2,600 ISVs have joined the IBM SaaS partner community.