The net result of a string of acquisitions and substantial in-house skills and services resources is that not only is IBM becoming a more of a software contender, it is emerging as a prime player in the advanced analytics area. It has spent over $16m on 30+ analytics acquisitions since 2005, and it is not done yet as it increases the software proportion of the overall business (see IBM grows profits, gradually becomes software business). Its software ambitions are selective - oriented around the high growth, high margin areas of advanced analytics and the cloud. The strategy is paying dividends: a 16% growth rate for its analytics business in FY2011 and the expectation that revenue will reach $16m by 2015. In IBM has its eye on the advanced analytics ‘last mile’ in HotViewsExtra, TechMarketView subscribers can see where we think IBM is in terms of its analytics ambitions and its up and coming challenges. For HotViews readers interested in subscribing to TechMarketView, Deborah Seth will be happy to help.