IBM, SAP to jointly develop software product; code name: Atlantic

Our IT Bureau
22 January 2008

At IBM's annual Lotusphere conference in Orlando, Florida, on 21 January, IBM and SAP of Germany announced plans to deliver their first joint software product. The product, codenamed 'Atlantic', will integrate IBM Lotus Notes software with the SAP Business Suite.

Atlantic is designed to create a new style of applications that present information and data that users familiar with the Lotus Notes desktop will find particularly useful. This will make it easier for users to do their jobs and greatly enhance the return on investment that companies have made in their enterprise systems.

The two companies aim to providing users critical business information in an intuitive, easy-to-use interface with a view to facilitating timely and more informed business decisions. The assumption, of course, is that they are familiar with the Lotus Notes desktop.

Michael Rhodin, general manager, IBM Lotus Software, says: "We're creating a richer collaboration environment. Businesses are looking to find better ways to collaborate and manage their business processes. This IBM-SAP solution addresses both challenges in one seamless package for millions of users."

According to IBM, Lotus and SAP have thousands of mutual customers who have been asking for the functionality that Atlantic software will provide. Many of IBM's top customers also use SAP solutions.

Jean Michel-Ares, CIO, Coca-Cola Company, which has SAP and IBM Lotus as "strategic partners", "Our IT goal is to help our people to be more responsive, productive and effective, and SAP and IBM Lotus have helped us get closer to that goal. The partnership between IBM Lotus, SAP and The Coca-Cola Company promises to deliver additional value to our associates and improve the tools they use every day."