IBM today announced that more than 100 companies worldwide chose IBM Systems in the first quarter of 2009 over offerings from HP and Sun. The customers rely on IBM Systems to manage the diverse range of workloads typical in today's business environments. These engagements build on 500 competitive IBM system wins in 2008.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

The IBM customer wins were across a range of industries including Communications, Distribution, Financial Services, Public Sector, Industrial Sector, and General Business. The customers moved away from competitive gear and selected IBM systems for their unique ability to manage distinct workloads, provide sophisticated virtualization of up to hundreds of virtual servers, and reduce energy costs. Since the beginning of 2008, more than 9 of 10 customers who migrated to IBM servers moved away from equipment from HP and Sun.

  Around the world, the 1Q competitive IBM systems wins include:

  --  For Power Systems, IBM had 62 competitive wins with half of the
      transactions over $1 million in 1Q09.  Thirty-four of the customers
      migrated to IBM systems from HP systems; 28 from Sun systems.

  --  For System z, IBM had 40 competitive wins. Thirty-four of the wins
      were against combined HP and Sun systems; five against HP systems; and
      one against Sun systems.  Fueling these wins were System z performance
      in growth markets, with 37% revenue growth in those markets in 1Q09.

Customers that have recently selected IBM Power or Systems z enterprise servers over competing offerings from Sun and HP include: Adecco, Baylor College of Medicine, Kookmin Bank, Randstad, Reliant Energy, Inc. and Telecom New Zealand.

  For additional information visit www.ibm.com

  Contact: Tim Breuer
           IBM
           breuer@us.ibm.com
           914-766-4166

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: favali@us.ibm.com

SOURCE: IBM