Solutions for virtual world platform developers and operators

You need to get your product out to your customers as fast and as reliably as you can. Sometimes you need a little help, and that is where a customized approach for a Content Distribution Network (CDN) optimized for digital media distribution can help you get a leg up over a "one size fits all" internet distribution model. Content Distribution Network services, including CDN services from IBM Business Partner Akamai, help you determine the right platform for digital distribution of your product, including client downloads and patches. Reduce latency and improve delivery speeds and quality of service, all the while making it seamless to your customers.

Virtual World Hosting
IBM has deep partnerships with several key virtual world and game hosting companies that operate their infrastructures on IBM infrastructure. These Business Partners complement IBM hosting operations to provide high performance, cost competitive global, and local, game hosting services. Learn more from our Business Partners GNi and Terremark.

Security Solutions
Protect your systems and networks from the continuously evolving threats of malcode and intrusions with effective, easy-to-manage and affordable security capabilities from IBM and IBM Business Partners. Protect your online environment and business critical information, and adapt to ever-changing threats, in this hacker-intensive industry.

In-game and in-world voice services
IBM Business Partner Vivox provides carrier-grade, customizable voice communication solutions to help online games and communities create improved offerings and extend their user base. Leveraging advanced IBM technology, Vivox partners with developers of MMOGs, virtual worlds and social networking sites to implement IP-based managed service solutions that create a safe, secure and dynamic environment in which online communities can grow and prosper. Entertainment clients who need an integrated communication solution for their online community can benefit from advanced voice services, to:

• Communicate as quickly, clearly and naturally in the virtual world as you can face-to-face
• Create vibrant online communities where the sound of human voices replaces the clicking of keys, and real-time communication comes alive
• Drive high levels of interaction that strengthen community
• Make communications part of your community, tailored to existing social structures and user interfaces
• A fully managed service with experienced support staff
• Massively scalable and customizable UI to mirror the look and feel of your world's UI

Virtual worlds generate massive amounts of real time data: participant activity and behavior, network traffic ebb and flow, and more, from thousands, even millions, of simultaneous visitors. Your business can either drown under that waterfall of information, or harness it to your competitive advantage. The Stream Processing Engine, from IBM Business Partner Streambase, provides the fastest performance, enterprise-class storage and standards-based programmability for building real-time stream processing applications. Analyze and respond to real-time streaming data within milliseconds. Track individual player movement for identifying loyalty programs and trend tracking for achieving the optimal gaming experience. "Sense and respond" to patterns of events that indicate pending threats. Switch online marketing campaigns instantly based on real-time visitor patterns.

Billing and Commerce Services How do you maximize the revenue potential from your online property? Managing a billing system or a virtual market for thousands, even millions, of online participants is no simple feat, but critical to your project's return on investment. IBM and IBM Business Partners can help you reduce billing complexity and cost, and improve in-world economies - essential for profitably turning playtime into cold, hard cash. IBM Business Partner Aria Systems provides on-demand billing and customer management solutions integrating a sophisticated billing engine with customer support and marketing tools in a single, highly configurable application - which enables clients to "get customers, get paid, and get control". IBM Business Partner PlaySpan™ in-game search, commerce and micropayment technologies enable developers and operators to generate new revenues, acquire new users and extend the loyalty of existing users.