Technology and partnership insights from IBM TechXchange 2023

The recent—and first-ever— IBM TechXchange Conference?brought together developers, distinguished engineers, data scientists, architects, sellers, CTOs, executives, and other tech professionals to learn and build skills in hands-on labs and live demos covering topics across IBM's technology portfolio. These enterprise technologists and execs also met with IBM’s WatsonX stakeholders like Tarun Chopra and team to better understand how to drive AI innovation in their organizations. Tight interlock with #IBMMaximo, #IBMSterling, #WebSphere and #Mainframe stakeholders.

Snapshot of IBM's Jason Gartner and team visiting Nitish A. and team at Microsoft Booth:

For Microsoft, the conference was a terrific opportunity to explore several IBM solutions that rely on our cloud technology and developer tools.

Dinis Couto , GM of Commercial SI Partners at Microsoft, told his team: 微软 and IBM share a strategic alliance that delivers ground-breaking solutions for our valued customers. It is amazing to see our partnership expand into tech-focused events like TechXchange that help the tech community unlock the potential of Microsoft Cloud .

We jointly delivered three different deep dive sessions into specific technologies that help customers: ?

1. Modernize mainframe apps with #IBMZ and #MicrosoftCloud Modernization Stack
2. Use IBM WebSphere Liberty on Microsoft Azure to craft cloud-native #Java apps
3. Gain insight into IBM Sterling #OrderManagementSystem in the Azure cloud

1. Modernizing mainframe applications

?Digital transformation imposes significant?demands on existing applications and data. Empowering Mainframe Applications with Azure DevOps & IBM Z & Cloud Modernization Stack walked technologists through using Azure #DevOps to accelerate application modernization?with IBM Z in a hybrid cloud.

The presenters, Bhaskar Bandam and Ivan Dovgan, showed how customers are solving business challenges around mainframe applications with the technologies:

• An insurance company adopted DevOps?processes, agile methodologies,?and parallel development while?reducing?Changeman?licensing costs.
• A manufacturing company?piloted the DevOps?implementation of a Git-based CI/CD pipeline while?migrating away from a legacy?library manager Panvalet.?
• An IT services management company built a DevOps?pipeline to support software?delivery of mainframe systems?while reducing Endevor?licensing costs.

?2. Using WebSphere Liberty on Azure to craft cloud-native Java apps

IBM and Microsoft have a robust partnership around the WebSphere product family on Microsoft Azure and it was great to sit in on Graham Charters and Reza Rahman ’s Elevating Cloud Capabilities: Crafting Cloud-Native Java Apps with WebSphere Liberty on Azure session.

They showed how enterprises are using IBM WebSphere technologies on Azure to take away the heavy lifting of provisioning best practice environments as they develop innovative cloud-native applications on Kubernetes-enabled WebSphere Liberty. WebSphere Liberty and Open Liberty are certified by IBM and Microsoft on #AzureKubernetesService (AKS) and #AzureRedHatOpenShift (ARO) via Liberty Operators.

3. Getting order management right

Order management is a?critical?application?in a retailer or manufacturer’s Omnichannel landscape. In an in-depth session, Vijaya Bashyam and David Baumgarten covered the advantages of the IBM Sterling Order Management System on Azure. Sterling is a modular OMS solution that automates order?fulfilment processes,?allowing retailers and?manufacturers to optimize omnichannel?orders across the enterprise.

Technologists could see how the container architecture of Sterling OMS on the Azure platform supports order management, store engagements, and call center activities. Microsoft has invested heavily in ensuring Sterling OMS on Azure performs well and the tight alignment with IBM development teams takes advantage of Microsoft’s native services where possible. The collaboration between joint development teams resulted in extensive guidance and reference architectures on best practices for cloud-scale order management.

As a Skyscraper sponsor of the inaugural TechXchange conference, we at Microsoft got to see and contribute first-hand how strategic alliances and partnerships drive innovation at IBM. Roughly 30% of the sessions were led by partners and customers, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and learning. It was amazing and inspiring to be an integral part of this event with our IBM friends.

Kelly Rogan , CVP of Global System Integrators at 微软 , noted, “The Azure Cloud is expanding the landscape for new innovations. When combined with technologies from our long-term partner IBM , we see our customers excelling in new ways. Great to see the strategic collaboration and technology conversations that happened at TechXchange.”

Note: To learn more about leveraging IBM technologies on Azure, see the links throughout this blog for Azure marketplace listings, MS Learn pages, and other relevant links.