IBM today announced the opening of the IBM Bucharest Systems Laboratory, the company’s first European site for developing and testing IBM switch and networking hardware and software.
The Lab, which joins a network of IBM centers around the globe, will leverage the company’s 2010 acquisition of Blade Network Technologies and work to bulletproof IBM’s products, such as IBM Networking Operation System and IBM VMready software that enables network switches to recognize virtual machines on the network.
“The opening of IBM’s Bucharest Systems Laboratory is a significant milestone in the strong partnership between Romania and IBM,” said Valerian Vreme, Romania’s Communications & Information Society Minister. “IBM’s commitment reinforces Romania’s vision to become a knowledge based economy, powered by smarter computing.”
More than 125 highly skilled engineers will work in the 100 square-meter raised floor laboratory and harden IBM software products through technology deployment and software development, code writing and testing, and bug fixing. In addition, the lab will perform rigorous quality assurance testing in customer-replicated topologies. All told, the work of the IBM Bucharest Systems Laboratory will enhance IBM’s virtualization capabilities in its switches, as well as their ability to manage and optimize diverse workloads.
“The Bucharest Systems Laboratory is an example of excellent product development capabilities, that combine unique skills with state of the art technology, tools, and processes,” said Andrew Currier, director of the IBM Bucharest Systems Laboratory. “I am looking forward to working with our strong team of engineers to take on projects that meet and exceed ever-changing client demands.”
Located in the Bucharest Corporate Center, the new IBM lab will reside near another IBM facility, the IBM Business Analytics laboratory. That lab was established after IBM acquired Clarity Systems in 2010. Both facilities intend to work together to deliver solutions that are optimized to manage customers’ explosive data growth, while providing them competitive advantage via predictive analytics.
“IBM is working with companies and governments around the world to introduce smarter computing systems which use intelligence to drive operational efficiencies and optimize workloads, concurrently reducing costs,” said Bogdan Balaci, Country General Manager, IBM Romania. “We are confident that the new IBM Bucharest System Laboratory will help IBM clients grow faster and become more competitive.”

NOTE: Expansions by IBM are planned to occur in Targu Mures and Timisoara

.