Most enterprises are embracing hybrid cloud computing setups. But isolated islands of cloud and on-premises infrastructure does not make for smooth running of software applications. The true measure of hybrid success is the ability to blend older infrastructure to new cloud technology. The result allows companies to hold on to oldies-but-goodies on-prem, and benefit from new cloud development.

What is the status bar on the perfection of hybrid methodology?

“I think we’re about 20 percent into that journey,” said Denis Kennelly (pictured), general manager of hybrid cloud at IBM Corp. This is true for IBM and its hybrid customers, at least.

Kennelly spoke with Peter Burris (@plburris), host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the IBM Innovation Day event in Yorktown Heights, New York. They discussed how to bring legacy middleware aboard modern hybrid information technology. (* Disclosure below.)

Integration ring around customer-centric apps

“I would say we’ve done some of the easier parts. Now we’re getting into some of the more complex and some of the more difficult problems,” Kennelly said.

Part of the difficulty lies in IBM’s application and integration middleware, WebSphere. It’s legacy and sticky, being the cornerstone for much IT that’s out there. “But this is what all the systems run on today,” Kennelly added.

IBM is now using containers’ virtualized method for running distributed applications to make middleware friendlier with cloud. The company has found a godsend for working out hybrid kinks in containers.

“We’ve taken all our [middleware] software, and it’s running on containers today,” Kennelly stated.

Containers provide flexibility openness to run in different targeted environments, and both containers and application program interfaces, both standard and event-based, enable integration. APIs surface backend transactions up for rapid development of applications, Kennelly explained.

“What is digital transformation? It’s about putting the customer at the middle and enabling insights on those customers — and enabling rapid development of those applications,” Kennelly said. “At the core of that is integration.”

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the IBM Innovation Day event. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the IBM Innovation Day event. Neither IBM, the event sponsor, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE