IBM is generally considered one of the most important software vendors, and this is even more true in the e-business space. In fact, many would say that IBM is the most influential vendor and has the best vision and product scope in spaces such as Web application development, Java, middleware, and enterprise systems. This chapter gives a brief look into the IBM e-business product landscape. WebSphere is IBM's cornerstone in this blueprint and is both the application server platform on which IBM's e-business blueprint is built and the umbrella product name of a full suite of products for building applications. This chapter discusses the application server, as well as some of the products belonging to the business product family such as WebSphere Portal Server, WebSphere Studio, and WebSphere Voice Server.

WebSphere is Internet infrastructure software known as middleware. It enables companies to develop, deploy, and integrate next-generation e-business applications, such as those for business-to-business e-commerce; it also supports business applications from simple Web publishing to enterprise-scale transaction processing applications. WebSphere transforms the way businesses manage customer, partner, and employee relationships. For example, you can use it to create a compelling Web experience that improves the quality and quantity of site traffic, to extend applications to incorporate mobile devices so the sales force can service clients faster, or to build an electronic e-marketplace that lowers sourcing costs.