Deutsche Telekom selects IBM Concert to accelerate IT processes with AI-powered automation
Rhea-AI Summary
IBM (NYSE:IBM) announced that Deutsche Telekom will implement IBM Concert, an AI-powered solution for intelligent automation in patch management and security orchestration. The implementation aims to dramatically improve the efficiency of Deutsche Telekom's IT operations and security processes.
During the pilot implementation, Deutsche Telekom achieved remarkable results, including a 10x reduction in Median Time To Patch from 80 hours to 8 hours for critical vulnerabilities. The fully automated patching process is designed to reduce patching time from 90 minutes to 20 minutes per instance.
The partnership comes at a crucial time, as IDC projects one billion additional applications by 2028, driven by AI innovations, highlighting the growing need for efficient patch management solutions.
Positive
- Achieved 10x reduction in Median Time To Patch from 80 to 8 hours
- Reduced patching time per instance from 90 to 20 minutes
- Strategic partnership with major telecom provider Deutsche Telekom
- Successful pilot implementation demonstrating significant efficiency gains
Negative
- None.
Insights
IBM secures major AI deal with Deutsche Telekom, demonstrating real commercial traction for its Concert platform with significant operational improvements.
IBM has secured a significant win with Deutsche Telekom implementing its AI-powered IBM Concert solution to transform patch management and security operations. This implementation represents more than just another enterprise deal - it demonstrates practical AI application solving a critical IT challenge for one of the world's largest telecom providers.
The performance metrics are particularly impressive. During pilot implementation, Deutsche Telekom achieved a 10x reduction in patch deployment time, slashing their "Median Time To Patch" from 80 hours to just 8 hours for critical vulnerabilities. The fully automated process reduces patching time from 90 minutes to under 20 minutes per instance.
This partnership directly addresses an escalating challenge in enterprise IT. According to IDC data cited in the release, we'll see one billion additional applications by 2028, largely driven by AI innovations. This explosive growth creates exponential complexity in patch management - a critical security function that protects systems from vulnerabilities.
For IBM, this represents validation of their enterprise AI strategy. The fact that IBM initially developed Concert for internal use before commercializing it demonstrates the practical nature of the solution. The endorsement from Deutsche Telekom's Group CIO highlighting the inability to find comparable solutions indicates IBM has identified a valuable market gap where AI can deliver measurable operational benefits.
With cybersecurity threats escalating in frequency and sophistication, technologies that dramatically accelerate vulnerability remediation offer tremendous value beyond just operational efficiency - they fundamentally strengthen security postures against evolving threats.
The AI-powered solution IBM Concert enables intelligent automation in patch management and the orchestration of security-related activities
BÖBLINGEN,
Patches are a necessary part of software lifecycle management. They help systems stay secured, functional, and relevant in a fast-changing IT landscape. Without patches, software would quickly become vulnerable, unstable, and obsolete. But handling patches is a challenge as well. IBM can help companies accelerate vulnerability protection in their IT systems while boosting operational efficiency. IBM Concert helps companies to reduce operational costs and the effort required for patching vulnerabilities, increasing the speed of response and the efficiency for improving the security of all systems.
One billion apps by 2028
According to an IDC study, there will be one billion additional applications by 2028 – an increase that will be driven by AI innovations. Even for minor changes and updates, complex coordination between app owners, development, security, and operations teams is necessary to ensure smooth operation for millions of customers and users. The large number of manual process steps to prepare, execute, and document the end-to-end patching process increases the risk of errors.
Deutsche Telekom turned to IBM for an approach that could scale faster and dramatically improve overall efficiency. The IBM Software Development Organization had developed a solution specifically for this purpose, IBM Concert, which IBM had initially tested on itself as "Client Zero," after facing a similar complexity challenge.
Ten times faster patching
IBM Concert provides Deutsche Telekom with intelligent resilience for complex IT operations, with a single source of truth for vulnerability management, patching, and reporting. The solution brings together all relevant data and specializations, creating contextual information that enables end-to-end AI-powered automation.
The fully automated patching process for operating systems has been designed to reduce patching time from 90 minutes to a maximum of 20 minutes per instance. This dramatic time savings gives IT teams new freedom for strategic tasks, innovations, and optimizations.
During the successful pilot implementation of IBM Concert, Deutsche Telekom was able to achieve a 10x reduction in a key metric "Median Time To Patch," going from 80 hours per critical vulnerabilities to eight hours. This acceleration of the rollout of patches increases IT security and also improves business risk and compliance, enabling Deutsche Telekom to manage risks for its IT operations much more effectively.
"Secure operating systems form the foundation for all applications, databases, and services that we offer our customers. When it comes to patching, the time factor has taken on a critical role in the AI era. Those who use available updates immediately and automatically can reduce security risks. We face this challenge together with our partner," explains Dr. Peter Leukert, Group CIO of Deutsche Telekom. "We were looking for a standalone solution on the market that combines all the complex aspects of patch management and reliably automates everything."
Steve Canepa, Global Managing Director at IBM, says: "Security and trust are the cornerstones of success for all telecommunications companies. IBM Concert incorporates modern AI and automation technologies so that Deutsche Telekom can stay ahead of the dramatically escalating number and complexity of critical vulnerabilities across their Hybrid Cloud platform."
Dinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President IBM Software, adds: "By intelligently orchestrating and automating security-critical processes, clients like Deutsche Telekom can not only respond faster to new threats, but also use resources more efficiently using IBM Concert. In doing so, they are creating a solid foundation for a future-proof, scalable and highly secure IT operating model with the help of AI."
Notes to Editors
About IBM Concert
IBM Concert is a comprehensive AI-powered automation solution using IBM watsonx that provides AI-driven recommendations and workflows to automate and optimize IT operations, including the patching process. IBM Concert:
- Integrates, aggregates, and analyzes existing data sources such as security scans, application and infrastructure information, and publicly available CVE databases
- Uses a generative AI approach to develop an optimized and prioritized patching plan based on extensive information about system topology, dependencies, maintenance windows, and business requirements
- Generates ServiceNow change requests and process documentation in the IT service management system (ITSM), ready for approval by experts
- Upon approval, orchestrates fully automated installation of operating system patches for Microsoft Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and other Linux distributions within maintenance windows, integrating, for example, Ansible Playbooks in the AWS Cloud
- Documents the results in the ITSM system, providing a quick overview, facilitating traceability of changes, and improving compliance for the entire hybrid cloud environment
About Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies, with more than 261 million mobile customers, 25 million fixed-network lines, and 22 million broadband customers. Deutsche Telekom provides fixed-network/broadband, mobile communications, Internet, and IPTV products and services for consumers, and information and communication technology (ICT) solutions for business and corporate customers. For more information, see https://www.telekom.com/en/company/companyprofile/company-profile-625808
About Deutsche Telekom IT GmbH
Deutsche Telekom IT GmbH (DTIT) is the IT company of choice of Deutsche Telekom Group. DTIT is responsible for the design, development and operation of all its own and transferred IT systems to support Deutsche Telekom's business processes. DTIT creates the basis for an integrated, cross-channel customer experience with Deutsche Telekom Group.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. For more information, see www.ibm.com.
Pictures:
• Corporate headquarters in Bonn. (Deutsche Telekom, picture: Norbert Ittermann)
Media Contact:
Sabine Buettner
IBM Unternehmenskommunikation DACH
Mail: sabine_buettner@de.ibm.com
Deutsche Telekom: media@telekom.de
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SOURCE IBM
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