IBM Watson Query

Service scope

Software add-on or extension: No
Cloud deployment model: Public cloud

Hybrid cloud
Service constraints: Maintenance is typically scheduled in advance and occurs approximately every six weeks at a predefined time. This includes updates to the environment and the database software. If urgent fixes are required, then maintenance may need to be scheduled outside of the regular schedule.
The service is not available while maintenance is applied. Maintenance is typically scheduled for 1-4 hours, but IBM makes all efforts to minimize the outage time and actual outage time is usually much less. For environments using the HA plan, maintenance is typically applied in a rolling fashion and the outage is generally only a few minutes.
System requirements: No specific Requirements

User support

Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
Support response times: Support levels based on urgency of request , standard IBM support levels 1-4
User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
Phone support: Yes
Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
Web chat support: No
Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
Support levels: Free Support: All trial customers of IBM Cloud receive ticketed support, but no response time objectives are offered. Ticket severity is limited to severity 4.
Basic Support: All customers who have purchased IBM Cloud but have not purchased support receive ticketed support, but no response time objectives are offered. Ticket severity is limited to severity 4.
Standard Support: All customers in an IBM Cloud account that have purchased Standard Support receive ticketed, technical support with the response time objectives defined below. Premium Support: Any customers in an IBM Cloud account who have purchased Premium
Support receive ticketed support with improved response times, priority handling, and a Client Success Manager assigned to your account. A Client Success Manager will be made available for up to 8 hours a week to provide a rapid route into the IBM Cloud organization, providing proactive and focused attention to help clients achieve maximum value from the environment quickly.
Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started: Users can find help on starting to use Watson Query Service by accessing the proper documentation at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/data-virtualization?topic=data-virtualization-getting-started
Service documentation: Yes
Documentation formats: HTML
End-of-contract data extraction: IBM will return the Client Data within a reasonable period in a reasonable and common format upon receiving written instructions from the Client prior to termination or expiration. Watson Query Service do not cache data and you might have to refer to underlying Data Source Documentation to extract data from sources not in IBM custody.
End-of-contract process: The Proof of Entitlement(PoE)
will specify whether the IBM SaaS renews
automatically, proceeds on a continuous use basis, or terminates at the end of
the term. For automatic renewal, unless Client provides written notice not to
renew at least 90 days prior to the term expiration date,
the IBM SaaS will
automatically renew for the term specified in the PoE. For continuous use, the
IBM SaaS will continue to be available on a month to month basis until Client provides 90 days written notice of termination. The IBM SaaS will remain available to the end of the calendar month after such 90 day period.

Using the service

Web browser interface: Yes
Supported browsers: Internet Explorer 11

Microsoft Edge

Firefox

Chrome

Safari

Opera
Application to install: No
Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
Differences between the mobile and desktop service: As the web console is accessed via a browser, there are no differences in functionality when accessed via a fully compatible browser on a mobile device eg tablet).
Service interface: Yes
User support accessibility: None or don’t know
Description of service interface: User GUI console for management of environment. This is users, tables, loading of data, SQL
Accessibility standards: None or don’t know
Description of accessibility: GUI Web console and standard data connectivity API's . Please refer to https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/data-virtualization-on-cloud#list-datasource-connections
Accessibility testing: None known
API: Yes
What users can and can't do using the API: Watson Query API is documented here https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/data-virtualization-on-cloud#introduction
API documentation: Yes
API documentation formats: HTML
API sandbox or test environment: No
Customisation available: No

Scaling

Independence of resources: The architecture of IBM cloud services maintains logical separation of client data. Internal rules and measures separate data processing, such as inserting, modifying, deleting, and transferring data, according to the contracted purposes.
All resources are dedicated to a single client. Every Watson Query instances can be scaled independently

Analytics

Service usage metrics: Yes
Metrics types: As an account owner or a billing manager, you can use the Usage Dashboard page to see the real-time charges for the runtimes and services that are used per month in your organizations. You can see the runtime GB-hours and service consumption in all regions, or you can select to see a particular region and space, for the past 12 months. Click a particular month to see the usage for that month. The charges shown represent the amount that you, as the account owner, are billed for that month.
Reporting types: API access

Real-time dashboards

Regular reports

Reports on request

Resellers

Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
Government security clearance: Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom

European Economic Area (EEA)

Other locations
User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0

Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402

Physical access control, complying with another standard

Encryption of all physical media

Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
Data sanitisation process: Yes
Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach: Query Results can be exported through UI or through API.
Data export formats: CSV
Data import formats: Other
Other data import formats: Only Data Sources are configured and not imported

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Other
Other protection between networks: All Watson Query storage is provided on storage encrypted by using AES-256 encryption.

Details here https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/data-virtualization?topic=data-virtualization-encryption
Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability: IBM aims to provide 99.99 % Availability for the service. The availability of the service depends on the availability of underlying data sources. The details are documented under the Terms and Conditions document
Approach to resilience: Available at request.
Outage reporting: The current health and status for IBM Cloud and the Watson Query on Cloud service can be found here: https://cloud.ibm.com/status/?query=Watson+Query. Status updates, including notifications for upcoming maintenance, can be found on the right hand side of the panel. There is also an RSS feed for these notifications which customers can subscribe to. These updates for upcoming maintenance are typically provided about 48 hours prior to the maintenance event -- although it may be a shorter amount of time for more urgent, unexpected updates (such as applying an important security fix).

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed: Yes
User authentication: Other
Other user authentication: Watson Query Authentication API's are documented here https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/data-virtualization-on-cloud#authentication
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: IBM maintains individual role-based authorization of privileged accounts that is subject to regular validation. A privileged account is a duly authorized IBM user identity with administrative access to a Cloud Service, including associated infrastructure, networks, systems, applications, databases and file systems.
Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
Management access authentication: Username or password

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
How long user audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Bureau Veritas Certification Holding SAS – UK Branch
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 19/12/2018
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: The infrastructure and platform this offering is run on is ISO/IEC 27001 compliant. The current SaaS application is also compliant.
ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
CSA STAR certification: Yes
CSA STAR accreditation date: 29/01/2019
CSA STAR certification level: Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover: The infrastructure and platform this offering is run on has a CSA STAR Self-Assessment certificate. The SaaS side of this offering currently does not have this. The IBM CSA Star Self-Assessment can be viewed here https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/star/registry/ibm-cloud/
PCI certification: Yes
Who accredited the PCI DSS certification: This detail will be confirmed at call-off contract level
PCI DSS accreditation date: To be confirmed at Call-off contract level.
What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover: To be confirmed at Call-off contract level via online template
Cyber essentials: Yes
Cyber essentials plus: Yes
Other security certifications: No

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
Security governance certified: Yes
Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
Information security policies and processes: IBM has an Information Technology (IT) Security policy that establishes the requirements for the protection of IBM's worldwide IT systems and the information assets they contain, including networks and computing devices such as servers, workstations, host computers, application programs, web services, and telephone systems within the IBM infrastructure. IBM’s IT Security policy is supplemented by standards and guidelines, such as the Security Standards for IBM's Infrastructure, the Security and Use Standards for IBM Employees and the Security Guidelines for Outsourced Business Services. Such are reviewed by a cross-company team led by the IT Risk organization every six months.

IBM has a dedicated Vice President of IT Security who leads a team responsible for IBM's own enterprise data security standards and practices. Responsibility and accountability for executing internal security programs is established through formal documented policies. IBM Services teams also have dedicated executives and teams who are responsible for information and physical security in the delivery of our client services.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Configuration and change management approach: IBM maintains policies and procedures to manage risks associated with the application of changes to its Cloud Services. Prior to implementation, all changes to a Cloud Service, including its systems, networks and underlying components, will be documented in a registered change request that includes a description and reason for the change, implementation details and schedule, a risk statement addressing impact to the Cloud Service and its clients, expected outcome, rollback plan, and documented approval by IBM management or its authorized delegate.
Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Vulnerability management approach: With each Cloud Service, as applicable and commercially reasonable, IBM will a) perform penetration testing and vulnerability assessments before production release and routinely thereafter, b) enlist a qualified and reputable independent third-party to perform penetration testing and ethical hacking at least annually, c) perform automated management and routine verification of underlying components’ compliance with security configuration requirements, and d) remediate any identified vulnerability or noncompliance with its security configuration requirements based on associated risk, exploitability, and impact. IBM takes reasonable care to avoid Cloud Service disruption when performing its tests, assessments, scans, and execution of remediation activities.
Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Protective monitoring approach: IBM maintains and follows policies requiring administrative access and activity in its Cloud Services’ computing environments to be logged and monitored, and the logs to be archived and retained in compliance with IBM’s worldwide records management plan. IBM monitors privileged account use and maintain security information and event management policies and measures designed to a) identify unauthorized administrative access and activity, b) facilitate a timely and appropriate response, and c) enable internal and independent third party audits of compliance with such policies. IBM systematically monitors the health and availability of production Cloud Service systems and infrastructure at all times.
Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Incident management approach: IBM:
-maintains and follows incident response policies aligned with NIST guidelines for computer security incident handling, and will comply with data breach notification requirements under applicable law.
-investigates security incidents, including unauthorised access or use of content or the Cloud Service, of which IBM becomes aware, and, if warranted, define and execute an appropriate response plan.
-promptly notifies Client upon determining that a security incident known or reasonably suspected by IBM to affect Client has occurred.
-provides Client with reasonably requested information about such security incident and status of applicable remediation and restoration activities performed or directed by IBM.

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice: Supplier-defined process

Public sector networks

Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

Fighting climate change
Covid-19 recovery
Tackling economic inequality
Equal opportunity
Wellbeing

Fighting climate change

IBM are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions globally by 2030. On this path, IBM are on track to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 65% (against 2010 base) in 2025, and 75% of our global electricity consumption will be from renewables by 2025. The IBM UK Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) is published annually in which we report progress in achieving Net Zero; most recent in September 2023.
In fulfilling our responsibilities under our contracts, our staff operate in line with our IBM Environmental Policy and implemented through our worldwide Environmental Management System (EMS), which covers objectives including achieving our net zero greenhouse gas commitment, reduction in water use, reduction in waste going to landfill, creating green space, enhancing the natural environment and improving air quality. Local initiatives are in place around IBM and client’s locations, promoting e.g. shared or zero-carbon travel, various cycle-to-work and car-share initiatives/incentives as well as environmentally focused volunteering.

To influence staff, suppliers, customers and communities through the delivery of the contract to support environmental protection/improvement, we include Social Responsibility and Environmental Management requirements in subcontracts and encourage staff to work with the wider teams on improvements. In some locations, an ‘Environmental Business Resource Group’ promotes Green sustainability, also through community-based activities.

In 2020 IBM launched the ‘responsible.computing’ initiative, which addresses modern computing challenges and integrates aspects of sustainability, climate, ethics, openness, privacy, and security. We assess proposed technical solutions against efficient energy usage.
IBM began detailed tracking and monitoring of our environmental footprint in 1990 - being forthright and transparent in our impact long before it was fashionable or required. We have made significant improvements over the last 30 years and will continue to report transparently on impacts and progress, using ‘Sustainable by Design’ framework and tools such as CO2 Emissions-Estimator and/or Envizi.

Covid-19 recovery

We have continued promoting initiatives created to support COVID-19 recovery aimed at both communities and our/partners’ workforce. To help local communities manage and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 IBM have created employment and re-training opportunities. IBM provided a free, fully online offering called SkillsBuild Reignite, tailored for job seekers, and those needing to grow their digital skills. Once an initial 30-hours of online learning was completed, Reignite offered free one-on-one coaching, seminars and facilitated discussions from IBM volunteers.

IBM encourage our staff, suppliers, and customers to support our local communities through IBM Community Engagement Portal. The IBM.org Volunteer’s Portal manages over 1.3 million hours of volunteering by IBM employees. IBMers are allowed to make a charitable contribution of £7 for every hour of volunteering to their chosen charity.

We support our extensive ecosystem of external SME's managing/recovering from the impacts of COVID-19. IBM has invested to help reduce barriers to entry that may preclude participation in delivery by SMEs. This could relate to financial standing, ability to accept risk, invest in bids, or ability to supply sufficient volumes of resources.

We have had several initiatives to support staff with the impact of the COVID-19 and extended those initiatives to clients/partners. Mental health support has been available at all times to all of our staff and their families, and we have trained volunteering staff as mental health first aiders, with programmes in place to tailor a gradual return to work e.g. following illness.

IBM reimagined many of our workplaces and policies to support COVID-19 recovery. We have implemented our Work from Home Pledge & Hybrid Working Pledge for all staff, which ensures we establish and respect new boundaries and support each other in this new way of working and living. IBM continue promoting an ongoing Hybrid working approach.

Tackling economic inequality

IBM invest to understand of the causes and effects of inequality. We run multiple initiatives to attempt to level opportunity, focused on our stated social-responsibility goal to support education and skills development in Science and Technology, with a specific focus on those who may not otherwise be attracted, or have the opportunity, to develop those skills.

The ‘IBM Ignite’ scheme, a national Movement to Work programme, offers vocational traineeships and work experience to disadvantaged youth unemployed. Together with City Gateway, our London charity partner, IBM offer 2-week, onsite, workplace programmes to break the cycle of ‘no work experience, no job’.

IBM are proud to have created skillsbuild.org. This is a global programme, and for the UK offering IBM have partnered with ACH.org.uk, a social enterprise working to resettle refugees through labour market and social integration, City Gateway, a London charity working with disadvantaged young people, women and families in deprived areas to build skills and ambition, and SaluteMyJob, a charity creating opportunities for ex-Servicemen and women under the armed forces covenant. The SkillsBuild programmes offer training, in-person support, credentials and opportunities to put the learning into practice. In addition to the direct training through charity partners, SkillsBuild is now also available free to all online. The SkillsBuild training gives recognised qualifications to those searching for employment in a digital economy. In addition, the programme gives job-search skills, teaches agile methods and design thinking, and has specific training in growing IT fields, such as cybersecurity, big data, artificial intelligence.

IBM UK employ around 100 school-leaver apprentices every year. Our award-winning programme offers apprenticeships ranging from Level 3 to Level 6, with all apprentices employed as permanent employees from Day 1. We also launched Early Professional Affiliates Hiring programme enabling us to further acquire talent from underrepresented groups.

Equal opportunity

In 1942, IBM hired blind psychologist Michael Supa to create a programme for hiring and training people with disabilities. Supa then worked in IBM institutionalising disability representation and equality for 37 years, and 80 years after he was hired IBM continue to lead in Accessibility, Inclusive hiring, and Representation to reduce the disability employment gap. The Accessible Workplace Connection portal makes it easy for managers to accommodate IBMers who consider themselves to have disabilities, and all recruitment activities are accessible and open. IBM support all employees in training and developing new skills relevant to them, with at least 40 hours of structured training required every year; called THINK40. The training can link to recognised, external qualifications, building skills relevant to the contract. IBM is accommodating of those with additional needs, ensuring all training is inclusive.

IBM believes that a diverse and inclusive work environment drives higher quality delivery. We have created employment/training opportunities for those with protected characteristics in the UK since 1912. Our 300+ employee-led communities support ethnic minorities, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, females, veterans and more through regular events within their communities. Every IBMer completes regular mandatory Diversity & Inclusion training, including on unconscious bias. Based on 2022 survey nearly 9 in 10 IBMers felt comfortable being themselves at work with ~5,000 more recommending IBM as a great place to work. IBM run a “BeEqual” campaign and programmes, with tens of thousands of employees making a BeEqual pledge of allyship to colleagues from minority groups and 6000 IBMers globally are certified as LGBT+ Allies, with 90+ events across UK and Ireland in 2023 focusing on inclusion, with approximately 3.5K attendees. IBM have a culture of promotion and recruitment aiming to addresses workforce inequality for all to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Wellbeing

IBM has an advanced Health and Wellbeing Programme, recognising the criticality and benefits of a healthy and supported workforce. A wide-ranging Employee Assistance Program is provided confidentially to all employees 24/7, at no cost to them, backed up by medical insurance with annual health assessments available. IBM operate a Mental Health First Aid Programme, with over 200 qualified mental health first-aiders volunteering in the UK. These colleagues make themselves approachable as a first step. IBM UK have Disability Confident Level 2 status, winning in 2023 UK-IT-Industry Award – DEI and in 2021 the Best Employer for Diversity and Inclusion award from WM UK, due to the broad focus on D&I throughout the pandemic, including hidden disabilities and neurodiversity. IBM has a global neurodiversity hiring program (ND@IBM).
In the new model of home/hybrid working, various initiatives have been created to maintain and improve both mental and physical health when working remotely. The IBM Working from Home Pledge includes commitments to take time out for yourself, and to check-in regularly on colleagues. It was recognised that working alone can be challenging for some, and regular sessions, support programmes and training in place to keep people connected. Managers have undertaken training to recognise those struggling and have tools of early support. A “2020 health challenge” was taken up by 20% of the permanent employee population, with 69% of participants reported being less stressed, 74% exceeded 10,000 steps a day. We continue organising ‘Exercise challenges’ on miles walked/weight loss linked to e.g. World Heart Day. Ergonomic equipment to create a better working-from-home environment is available to all.

Within projects/programmes, and as part of contract delivery, IBM seek to make these various initiatives available to joint team of staff/suppliers/customers and communities. Project and colleague-based support and health initiatives are expanded where possible to all.

Pricing

Price: £5,500 an instance a month
Discount for educational organisations: No
Free trial available: Yes
Description of free trial: 30 days free
One Watson Query instance with 1 head and 1 worker node. Head and worker nodes have 4 vCPU and 16 GB RAM per node.
Watson Query is available on IBM Cloud Pak for Data as a Service.
Link to free trial: https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog/services/watson-query

Features

Benefits

Service documents

Framework

Service ID

Contact

Service scope

User support

Onboarding and offboarding

Using the service

Scaling

Analytics

Resellers

Staff security

Asset protection

Data importing and exporting

Data-in-transit protection

Availability and resilience

Identity and authentication

Audit information for users

Standards and certifications

Security governance

Operational security

Secure development

Public sector networks

Pricing

Service documents

Cookies on Digital Marketplace

IBM Watson Query

Features

Benefits

Pricing

Service documents

Framework

Service ID

Contact

Service scope

User support

Onboarding and offboarding

Using the service

Scaling

Analytics

Resellers

Staff security

Asset protection

Data importing and exporting

Data-in-transit protection

Availability and resilience

Identity and authentication

Audit information for users

Standards and certifications

Security governance

Operational security

Secure development

Public sector networks

Social Value

Pricing

Service documents