joab_jackson
U.S. Correspondent

IBM targets finance services with new framework

news
Jun 22, 20102 mins

The Financial Markets Industry Framework's package of apps is designed for financial firms that want to speed their processes

IBM unveiled on Tuesday a new package of pre-integrated software applications, called the Financial Markets Industry Framework, configured for the financial services market.

The package is designed for financial firms, such as a Wall Street stock trading company, that want to speed their processes, said Guy Tagliavia, who is IBM’s director of WebSphere front office and low latency messaging, part of the software group.

[ Keep up on the day’s tech news headlines with InfoWorld’s Today’s Headlines: First Look newsletter. ] 

The framework is the latest addition to a growing number of pre-integrated packages that IBM has created for specific industries. The company has already developed frameworks for the fields of health care, petroleum, retail, and government.

IBM’s WebSphere application server will serve as the cornerstone of the offering. The framework will be able to ingest feeds from over 100 data feeds. A stream computing platform can then filter these feeds to look for specific events, or triggers.

The framework will also offer market surveillance and trade monitoring software, using IBM’s Cognos business intelligence software, its iLog business rules management software and other applications. Over time, more applications, both from IBM as well as from partners, will be folded into the framework, Tagliavia said.

In the financial market, companies are fiercely competitive, and use software to gain an edge, Tagliavia said. “The financial market is constantly evolving. It is extremely dynamic: There is an arms race in this industry where customers are seeking the latest and greatest technology,” he said.

Companies may renew their systems in as little as every two years. IBM is making the pitch that its platform, through its enterprise service bus, is easily extensible, and so can easily accommodate upgrades.

The framework can be built on either commodity servers running x86-based processors, or run on IBM’s own System P Power-based servers. IBM could install the framework or it could be installed by other integrators, Tagliavia said.

Joab Jackson covers enterpise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab’s e-mail address is Joab_Jackson@idg.com.