IBM Bluemix abstracts most of the complexities that are associated with hosting and managing cloud-based apps. Bluemix allows you to focus on developing your applications without having to manage the infrastructure that is required to host them.
Beyond just running applications, Bluemix also offers a number of IBM and third-party developer focused services, like:
- Watson's Cognitive APIs that allow you to better understand your users, tailor content to suit their preferences, make tradeoff decisions, accurately translate casual language, and so on
- Over 20 data and analytics services ranging from SQL and no-SQL database options to an in-memory warehouse that lets you quickly analyze terabytes of data
- Data sets offered by sources like The Weather Channel and Twitter, which let you join your own user, product, and business information with that of the outside world
- Internet of Things (IoT) services that let your apps communicate with and consume data collected by your connected devices, sensors, and gateways
And now, you can link a new or existing Bluemix account to your SoftLayer account, and receive a single bill for everything! This billing linkage is just the first step in an overall merge of the SoftLayer and Bluemix interfaces, services, and other offerings into a single unified experience.
When you link your SoftLayer and Bluemix accounts, you are billed through SoftLayer for both SoftLayer and Bluemix resources. If you have an existing Bluemix account, your billing will change after the billing cycle that is in effect when the accounts are linked. Only the Master User in a SoftLayer account can link a Bluemix account.