IBM unveils Informix database software

ARMONK, NY: IBM has unveiled new database software to help companies make decisions more intelligently and maximize sales opportunities while reducing expenses.

The combination of the two capabilities in one offering can help deliver new results and insights to grow businesses and lower costs by making it easier to use existing Informix infrastructure to help clients work as much as 50 percent more efficiently.

To effectively compete in today’s challenging global economy, companies are now recognizing the need to use information more effectively. Right now, 85 percent of CIOs do not believe their information is currently well managed and shared across the entire business. In addition, most companies lack a cohesive strategy to get the most value from their information.

Konkan Railways in India uses this technology for its "Railway Application Package" system to help analyze and maintain train schedules to reduce the likelihood of passenger delays. Not only does this help the railway operate more efficiently, but it has also seen significant energy savings. By automating the light-switching at stations as trains arrive and depart, the system has helped the railway cut energy costs by approximately 20 percent, the report added.

Customers in all industries, including healthcare, retail and manufacturing, can take advantage of this instantaneous access to information with analytical capabilities to understand market and customer trends. For example, the new software can help retailers easily access and organize data from store, Web, catalog sales and internal inventory and merchandising systems to help analyze future buying trends and, in turn, make smarter business decisions.

"Today, the volume of information is growing exponentially from a variety of different sources. We are seeing a growing number of clients who need to manage the velocity of decision making required to be competitive, and the nature of what can be analyzed to predict new business opportunities" said Arvind Krishna, vice president, IBM Worldwide Information Management Development. "The Informix warehouse platform can help companies manage their data more cost effectively with a simplified design and deployment using their existing Informix investments"

IBM Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) is a strategic element of IBM’s Information Management software portfolio, which includes database management software that delivers exceptionally fast OLTP performance, high reliability and low cost administration.

IDS is a leading DBMS (database management systems) in many industries such as retail, telecommunications, government/public sector, and travel and entertainment. In North America alone, IDS is used in critical business applications by eight of the top 10 U.S. retailers and 95 percent of global telecommunications companies. Informix was named the #1 Vendor of 2008 in VendorRate due to input from its loyal customer base.