IBM's Latest SOA Move: Buying Webify

Moving its SOA strategy a few steps further ahead, IBM today announced its acquisition of Webify, developers of services-oriented composite applications and providers of "service lifecycle management" -- software and services for defining, assembling, running, and retiring reusable web services. Webify has built composite apps for the insurance, healthcare, telecom and banking industries.

IBM is absorbing the Webify technology into its WebSphere portfolio, and Webify's services and India office will be incorporated within IBM's Global Business Solution Center in India, which also develops SOA-based composite business services. IBM Global Services will also use Webify's library of reusable composite service modules and suites to deliver industry-specific composite apps that IBM will host and provision. In addition to the software and services, IBM is acquiring Webify's in-house expertise on the ACORD, HIPAA, and HL7 standards in insurance and healthcare.

Under the deal, Webify's CEO and 120 staff members will remain at its Austin and Mumbai offices. Existing Webify customers running the software on Oracle or BEA platforms will continue to be supported, and BearingPoint and Accenture will continue to resell Webify software.