IBM threatens the software defined storage market with Watson

On May 12, 2014 IBM announced it was expanding its software defined storage offerings with a line of products including one with a close association with IBM’s Watson cognitive computing platform. Although more sizzle than steak, the announcement shows IBM’s determination to use Watson to gain a competitive advantage in infrastructure markets such as storage. This strategy is likely to be successful and cause some disruption in a new technology that is itself disrupting the storage market.