SWOT Analysis: IBM Tivoli, Q2 2007

With 10 software acquisitions in 2006, IBM has transformed its IT management software strategy into service management. IBM is continuously focusing on this strategy — through organic growth and acquisitions — as it delivers IT to the business as end-to-end services rather than as stacks of independent components. IBM's strength is that it has logically followed the path of filling the missing solution gaps in its strategic areas and has rapidly integrated the acquired solutions into its service management platform. But in doing so, IBM has grown its solution portfolio to a point where it has become very difficult to explain the underlying strategy to customers. It now covers everything from operational management products, such as monitoring, provisioning, and release management across all computing platforms, to process management tools that provide automation and workflow.