IBM has expanded its software portfolio in the Amazon Web Services marketplace to 92 countries, including South Africa, the US company said on Tuesday.

The expansion goes beyond Denmark, France, Germany, the UK and US, where the software is currently available, and will now be available in 18 African countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

AWS Marketplace is a digital catalogue with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors where companies and developers can test, buy and deploy software that runs on AWS.

“The addition of these countries will help make procurement easier for clients, streamline purchasing and create new efficiencies, while allowing them to use their AWS-committed spend for IBM software purchases,” IBM said in a statement.

According to a Canalys study quoted by IBM, cloud marketplaces continue to emerge as the fastest-growing route to market for software as a service, expected to increase to US$45-billion by 2025. Marketplaces also help shorten the buying cycle, consolidate billing and make it easier to scale software deployments quickly, IBM said.

IBM technologies now available in South Africa and the other new markets through AWS include components of the Watsonx AI and Data platform, which allows enterprises to build, scale and govern AI workloads.

Other software

Other software includes IBM’s flagship database Db2 Cloud Pak for Data as well as a portfolio of automation software including Apptio, Turbonomic and Instana, and the IBM Security and Sustainability software portfolios – all built on Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS.

IBM is also launching 15 new IBM Consulting professional services and assets on AWS Marketplace and designed for AWS.

“These new service offerings are aligned to client needs and demand, focused on data and application modernisation, security services and tailored industry-specific solutions – with generative AI capabilities included in select services,” the company said.

Read: IBM soars to 10-year high on AI outlook

“Cloud computing is currently experiencing remarkable growth in South Africa as local companies are increasing their digital migration to meet the expectations of increasingly digital-first consumers and maintain a competitive advantage against competitors in the digital marketplace,” said Ria Pinto, GM and technology leader at IBM South Africa, in the statement. – © 2024 NewsCentral Media