Executives from IBM and SAP said <A HREF="http://www.cio.com/article/349664/SAPPHIRE_US_SAP_IBM_Still_Chummy_After_BI_Acquisitions">the two companies won't fall out</A> even though they now compete head-on in the market for BI (business intelligence) software, with their respective purchases of Cognos and Business Objects.

SAP provides such a big chunk of business for IBM Global Business Services that the two sides are unlikely to disrupt their close partnership, said Don Mettica, an official from that unit, during a panel discussion at SAP's Sapphire conference in Orlando this week. "We see this space continuing to grow," he said.