E2open, the Global Collaboration Network for the electronics industry, today announced it selected IBM (NYSE: IBM) Global Services for Web hosting and network management services-helping E2open rapidly deploy collaboration networks for its customers in the electronics industry. The IBM Global Services solution is flexible and allows users to select from a broad range of managed services including network infrastructure, operating systems, middleware, databases and applications. With the solution, companies can create customized network infrastructures that address particular business requirements, and use these networks to deliver products and services to market more quickly. IBM's Web hosting services also make it easy to add capacity and network connections.

As part of the solution, E2open is participating in the management of key elements of the hosted environment, including root access, hardware and software support and overall system monitoring. This shared management approach allows companies with specific technical expertise, such as E2open, to play an active role in supporting customer networks. It also illustrates the variety of different hosted solutions-including both fully to partially managed environments-which IBM can deliver. In addition, the solution helps to satisfy two of the five key requirements for a Global Collaboration Network E2open outlined last May: enterprise-ready reliability and global scalable networking.

"IBM has a proven track record of supporting mission-critical operations of large, demanding enterprises," said Greg Clark, chief technology officer of E2open. "In addition, they listened to our unique requirements and created a solution that allows E2open to work directly with IBM's team to deliver just-in-time network support to our customers. It's the type of flexible, responsive service that lets us leverage our understanding of the needs of our customers, use the unparalleled power offered by IBM, and deliver high-value solutions to our customers."

"E2open has created a shared-services collaboration model for the electronics industry that will continue to change the way supply chains are managed," said Jim Corgel, general manager of e-business Hosting Services at IBM. "We are pleased they have chosen IBM to provide e-business hosting services for their network."