IBM has announced the launch of IBM 'z15', a new enterprise platform designed specifically for hybrid cloud security and cloud-native app development.

According to IBM, the solution includes "the first technology in the industry to manage the privacy of customer data across hybrid multi-cloud environments."

The company explains that the Z15 enables clients to manage who gets access to data via policy-based controls, with an industry-first capability to instantly revoke access to a company's data held by partners in its supply chain (across the hybrid cloud). The new mainframe can also encrypt data anywhere (across a supply chain/ hybrid cloud) with zero degradation in system performance.

It added that the z15 system culminates four years of development with over 3,000 IBM Z patents issued or in process and represents a collaboration with input from over 100 companies.

Key z15 innovations from these investments across IBM Systems and Research include encryption everywhere, cloud-native development and instant recovery.

Rishi Nirghin, business unit executive, IBM Systems said, "The new z15 reflects our enterprise-wide commitment to hybrid multi-cloud. For us, the new z15 is a key part of that strategy - it is the go-to-enterprise platform, the centre and driver of secure hybrid cloud innovation. The launch of z15 positions our IBM Z as the leader in addressing the industry's biggest challenges by giving customers complete control of their technology."

According to IBM the movement of data between partners and third parties is often the root cause of data breaches.

"In fact, 60% of businesses reported they suffered a data breach caused by a vendor or third party in 2018. With the growing adoption of hybrid multi-cloud environments, the challenge of maintaining data security and privacy only grows more acute and challenging," the company stated.

Nirghin added: "Security breaches are still a major concern and no business can afford to deal with the costs of these breaches, the impact of non-compliance and the damage to trust they can result in. With the z15, we've introduced ways to make data safe in all environments – whether it's at an infrastructure level or data level. The reality is that data doesn't stay in one place and is often accessed by different users at different points. We're addressing this complexity through Data Privacy Passports which protect data as it moves across the business and users and allows one to track the complete data transformation journey from point of origin to point of consumption for all data and views of data."

Nirghin said earlier this year IBM and Red Hat officially cemented their partnership - an important milestone leveraging the power and flexibility of Red Hat's open hybrid portfolio and establishing hybrid multi-cloud as the new standard.

He continued that IBM Z is the only platform to offer complete encryption of all application and cloud service data and the z15 provides industry-first data privacy protection for mission critical workloads – making it indispensable to businesses of all sizes.

The platform will be available direct to market and also via IBM's channel partners in South Africa.

There are plans to extend the reach across Africa, initially within the Southern Africa region.

"We will also distribute to Swaziland and Namibia at launch, with other markets to follow. The solution will also be available in key markets across Central, East and West Africa,, however, this will be fulfilled via our offices in West and Central Africa," Nirghin said.