Introducing IBM Sterling Order Management on Microsoft Azure

IBM and Microsoft believe in providing you with the power of choice so you can leverage the industry-leading omnichannel fulfillment capabilities of Sterling Order Management Software (OMS) along with your existing skills and investment in native Azure services. IBM and Microsoft provide you with the ability to confidently deploy Sterling OMS on Azure using Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) or Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), with the added flexibility of using multiple native Azure services. The reference architecture details are available in the Microsoft Azure Architecture Center, and ARO is the preferred destination for deployment (link resides outside of ibm.com).

Additionally, IBM Sterling OMS is now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace so you can draw down on your Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) when purchasing Sterling and deploying on ARO, AKS or self-managed OpenShift.

IBM Sterling Order Management provides the ability to deliver a seamless order management experience across all channels, enhance cross-channel efficiencies, and streamline complex inventory and fulfillment operations across your commerce systems. The latest features include support for PostgresSQL DB, enhanced performance for large B2B orders, and cloud-native UI. For more new features, refer to the IBM Sterling Order Management documentation.

The container offering combines the previously mentioned capabilities with both a seamless IT experience through OpenShift deployments and a seamless installation of order management and its micro-services from the IBM or Azure container registry. The features also include flexible and scalable infrastructure options offered by Azure to achieve a fully functioning environment of the OMS application.

Brands with omnichannel fulfillment options can generate more revenue (link resides outside of ibm.com) because omnichannel customers make purchases 70% more often and spend about 34% more than consumers who shop one channel exclusively. IBM Sterling OMS on Azure makes it possible for you to eliminate barriers to global inventory visibility and offer your customers these important omnichannel fulfillment options. The options allow your customers to buy anywhere, pick up anywhere and return anywhere. Whether your customers are in store, on the web or on a mobile device, they can seamlessly traverse channels throughout all phases of the order lifecycle.

• Scalability, resiliency, and cost: Drive down total cost of ownership (TCO) while enjoying the flexibility of elasticity and auto-scaling. You can use either Azure Red Hat OpenShift or AKS, allowing you to effortlessly handle seasonal peaks by provisioning additional infrastructure as needed and conveniently tear it down when the demand subsides.
• Azure Database for PostgreSQL: Offers built-in high availability and zone redundancy, along with convenient backup and restore features for seamless disaster recovery. For customers wishing to migrate from Oracle, this is a great option.
• Scalability of Azure: Ensures that businesses can allocate resources based on demand, avoiding unnecessary costs associated with overprovisioning. By leveraging Azure’s cost-management tools and analytics, businesses can gain visibility into resource usage and optimize their integration infrastructure for maximum efficiency and cost savings.
• Disaster recovery: Quickly deploy supporting infrastructure for Sterling OMS in another region and eliminate the need for excessive hardware procurement by leveraging the cloud’s inherent advantages. Provides a reliable secondary hot standby to protect against geographic disruptions.
• Validated partnership: IBM Sterling OMS on Azure is backed by the collaborative efforts of IBM and Microsoft teams. Together, we have fine-tuned IBM Sterling OMS on Azure to ensure optimal performance and provide the option of using native Azure services. The tight alignment between our development teams affords you the use of Microsoft’s PaaS services wherever possible.
• Streamlined deployment: Our partnership has yielded guidance, reference architectures, code examples and best practices to simplify your setup and deployment process. Get access to a customer-informed roadmap for operator patterns, tools and utilities based on Azure’s industry-leading practices.
• Security and compliance: IBM Sterling offers robust security features, including data encryption, identity and access management, and image management with monthly releases. Microsoft Azure provides a comprehensive suite of security and compliance services, including threat detection, continuous monitoring, and regulatory compliance certifications. By running IBM Sterling on Azure, organizations benefit from a fortified security posture, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and adherence to industry-specific regulations.

The strategic alignment between Microsoft and IBM development teams ensures optimal utilization of Microsoft’s PaaS offerings whenever possible. We support you throughout the entire process—from planning and designing to implementation. Our experts will guide you through crucial technical considerations, such as choosing between a new installation or an upgrade, selecting the right database and broker, managing partner access, sizing your resources, and controlling licensing costs.

Unlock the full potential of your IBM Sterling OMS deployment on Azure today with the help of industry-leading cloud experts. Moving your Sterling OMS deployment to Azure is a straightforward process:

• Deploy new Azure infrastructure tailored to your requirements.
• Seamlessly migrate images to Azure Container Registry.
• Deploy Sterling OMS images to OpenShift, leveraging the power of Azure.
• Safely copy your existing database data to ensure continuity.
• Run rigorous test suites, performance tests and smoke tests to validate your setup.
• Perform a smooth cut-over, copying any necessary deltas without incurring downtime.

IBM and Microsoft have come together to provide you the choice of deploying IBM Sterling Order Management Software on Azure. We offer a comprehensive plan that encompasses technical considerations, such as choosing between a new installation or upgrade, selecting the right database and broker, managing partner access, sizing your deployment appropriately, and maintaining licensing and cost control. Contact us today to embark on a secure and future-proof path for your business.