IBM is doubling down on data center convergence by not only extending its hardware lineup aimed at this emerging technology trend, but also making available a software-only version of the management software used on its CloudBurst platform.

According to Ric Telford, IBM vice president for cloud delivery services, IBM is responding to requests from customers that want to migrate to a private cloud computing architecture using their existing IT infrastructure, versus being required to purchase new hardware systems.

To address this demand, IBM is making available a new IBM Service Delivery Manager offering that customers can deploy to converge the management of server, networking and storage resource under a common management framework.

In addition, IBM is making a new hardware implementation of CloudBurst available that is based on P-Series server technology. CloudBurst was first packaged with IBM software on Intel server blades. The new CloudBurst offering leverages IBM Power 750 Series servers to create a more scalable, turnkey approach that leverages the advanced virtualization technologies that IBM has developed for the P-Series. IBM also updated its Intel-based CloudBurst offerings with the latest Intel processors, which now allow customers to run 30 or more virtual machines per blade.

Telford says the IBM CloudBurst approach differs fundamentally from rival unified server offerings from Cisco, Hewlett-Packard and Dell in that in addition to unifying the management of IT infrastructure, it provides the self-service and chargeback management technologies that IT organizations need to manage a cloud computing deployment.

Ultimately, Telford said that IBM expects to see the evolution of “borderless clouds” where IT organizations will want to integrate cloud computing infrastructures across private and public cloud deployments that can share a common management platform.