In a sign that political instability and natural disasters can fuel technology spending, <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080820/ap_on_hi_te/ibm_disaster_recovery;_ylt=AigAegiKm9OoDf0duWEXt9is0NUE">IBM plans to invest $300 million building new centers</A> that can store companies' sensitive data and deliver it remotely in the event of a meltdown. Called "cloud computing," the technology that IBM is employing in 13 new facilities lets companies access backups of their critical computer files over secured Internet connections--instead of housing all the data internally.

Many companies are pursuing cloud computing strategies. But IBM says its expanding initiative is drawing attention from customers especially concerned about severe weather and global instability, including the war between Russia and Georgia, said Michael Riegel, vice president of IBM's Business Continuity and Resiliency Services unit.