The world’s most valuable software business

Although Microsoft is the most valuable software company overall, we estimate that IBM’s Middleware business is the single most valuable software business segment.  Middleware is a type of software “plumbing” used to connect different software applications that need to share information.  Middleware is commonly used by businesses that have a variety of separate software systems to make information integration easier.  By making it easier to integrate and share information, businesses can work more efficiently and better serve customers.

Examples of Middleware in Use

• A hospital that has multiple software applications for tracking patient information across medical segments can use a middleware database program to more easily share important patient information between applications.  This means that physicians and nurses will be able to access the latest patient information more easily.

• A customer who views his savings balance online through his bank’s website while also checking on the status of a recent mortgage application is benefiting from middleware software which is integrating information from different parts of the bank’s operations (savings and mortgages) and delivering it to the website.

IBM’s has a variety of middleware products, with brands like Websphere, Lotus, Tivoli and Rational, that are used to connect diferent types of software systems.  You can see more about IBM’s Middleware business here.