IBM's multi-cloud strategy
IBM is one of the few technology vendors to have embraced a hybrid multi-cloud strategy from day one, and this is evident from the deployment options that are supported by IBM. Being able to deploy anywhere is a key differentiator for Cloud Pak for Data. While software and system deployment options enjoy customer adoption the most, Cloud Pak for Data as a Service is IBM's strategic direction in the long run. The as-a-Service managed edition of Cloud Pak for Data was launched in 2020 on IBM Cloud and is now supported on third-party clouds through Cloud Satellite, which we will cover in detail later in the chapter.
The value proposition of as-a-Service is that it allows customers to modernize how they collect, organize, analyze, and infuse AI with no installation, management, or updating required. In essence, you can derive all the benefits of an integrated data and AI platform, namely Cloud Pak for Data, without the overhead of managing the infrastructure...