In fact, IBM is counting on using this to expand beyond its existing 100, 000 WebSphere clients.
It will also offer MQ and DB2 services, as well as WebSphere applications and tools.
Sterling will reside in the software group under WebSphere, IBM's on-demand business software.
In March, IBM released software called WebSphere Transcoding Publisher, which transforms content to match the capabilities of mobile devices.
Worklight will extend the base WebSphere infrastructure to support mobile requirements such as mobile app development and middleware run-time management and integration.
With Sterling and WebSphere together, IBM can offer a soup-to-nuts e-commerce platform.
Worklight offers multiple components that are integrated as a platform and IBM WebSphere is one of the key supporting environments that runs underneath it.
However, Bill Burson, the organization's assistant director of IT, says he'll install NetWare 5.1 as soon as it's available and use WebSphere for application development.
An agreement with IBM, signed in July, will encourage its 100, 000salespeople and 150, 000 consultants to push Palms, particularly for customers of its new wireless WebSphere software.
Partnership activity remains strong and includes a recent collaboration with IBM to support that company's WebSphere Application Server Community Edition as part of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
An IBM global CEO survey showed that their top concerns were either mobile or analytics, said Mike Riegel, vice president of mobile and WebSphere solutions at IBM.
When the acquisition closes in the first quarter, Rational will be the fifth division within IBM software, along with Websphere, DB2 database, Tivoli management products and Lotus collaborative software.
For now, Sterling supports the iPhone and iPad through a set of applications delivered through the Apple App Store, and WebSphere offers iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry support through a mobile browser.
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