DataChannel announced the next-generation of its Solution Software for Enterprise Information Portals (EIP). DataChannel has developed its enhanced EIP application server based entirely on XML. The server includes XPages, an implementation of a transformation engine that converts data from heterogeneous sources into XML-ready schema. This transformation engine directly addresses the challenges of data interoperability across and beyond the Enterprise. This data may span unstructured data sources like documents, spreadsheets, and web content, as well as structured data sources like databases, legacy systems, and customized mission critical applications. The addition of XPages offers a dynamic application environment that allows users to combine information from disparate sources into a single presentation on the desktop and interact with the data by updating the back-end systems. Once the data is transformed using XPages, it is ready for web delivery to any audience anywhere. www.datachannel.com
Month: May 1999 (Page 3 of 3)
Object Design, Inc. announced ObjectStore 6.0, the newest release of the company’s data management system. ObjectStore 6.0 offers a broad range of new features that result in unprecedented scalability and performance for large-scale Java and Internet electronic business (e-business) applications. In addition to its traditional database deployment capabilities, ObjectStore 6.0 includes a variety of new features to support deployment as a data server, where it is used in the middle tier of multitier applications to “re-stage” enterprise data in formats compatible with Java, C++ and Web applications. ObjectStore 6.0 includes: New Java data management capabilities; Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) Integration; And higher Performance and Scalability. ObjectStore 6.0 is available now. Pricing begins at $4,500. ObjectStore supports Windows 98, Windows NT and all major Unix operating environments. www.objectdesign.com
Microsoft Corp. and Ariba Inc., announced plans to work together to accelerate the adoption of XML-based standards for e-commerce. The companies will join together to integrate Commerce XML (cXML), an emerging standard for business-to-business e-commerce, with the Microsoft BizTalk framework to define schema for communicating operating resource transactions, such as catalogs and orders. In addition to collaborating on BizTalk and cXML, Ariba and Microsoft plan to work together to implement these e-commerce frameworks into products offered by both companies. Ariba will support the BizTalk framework in Ariba e-commerce solutions, and Microsoft will integrate support for cXML into upcoming releases of the Microsoft Commerce Server and BizTalk Server. This collaboration will enable integration between Ariba e-commerce solutions and the multitude of supplier Web sites based on the Microsoft commerce platform. The joint work will provide the opportunity for Microsoft and Ariba customers to more easily and efficiently conduct business-to-business e-commerce with business partners worldwide. As a member of the core group of organizations that will drive the development of BizTalk, Ariba plans to collaborate with Microsoft on the continued development of operating resource transaction cXML schema. Under the planned development, Ariba will use XML-Data Reduced (XDR), the preferred syntax for BizTalk, in the next version of cXML. www.microsoft.com, www.ariba.com
Object Design, Inc., and SilverStream Software, Inc., announced that they have forged a strategic partnership. This partnership allows the two companies to deliver a solution enabling companies to build and deploy powerful new enterprise e-business applications that fully exploit the extensible data capabilities of XML. The SilverStream Application Server allows for the rapid development and deployment of distributed HTML and Java enterprise Web applications. Object Design’s eXcelon is a dynamically extensible data server for caching, managing and extending XML in distributed e-business application environments. When the products are coupled together, the result is an e-business application solution that leverages the extensibility of XML. As part of the agreement, SilverStream and Object Design have jointly created a SilverStream Data Source Object (DSO) that integrates eXcelon into the SilverStream application development environment and automates connectivity between the two products. www.objectdesign.com, www.silverstream.com
Microsoft Corp announced the release of the Microsoft XML Parser for incorporation by third party developers into their applications. The Microsoft XML Parser, which is freely redistributable and compliant with the W3C XML 1.0 specification, allows developers to support XML in any or all of the presentation, business logic or storage elements of an application. ISVs, including Allaire Corp., Novell Inc. and Object Design Inc., announced their intent to use the Microsoft XML Parser to build XML support into next-generation products. The parser is available for download at http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/ at no charge. In addition to enabling ISVs to incorporate the Microsoft XML Parser into any part of their applications, Microsoft is also working to integrate the parser directly into all of its products used for building Windows Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA). XML support and integration is available today in other Microsoft software. By virtue of its componentized design, it is easily integrated with any Windows operating system-based application and programmed using any programming or scripting language such as ECMAScript, Java, Perl, Python, SQL, the Visual Basic development system, the Visual C++ development system or VBScript. Further, it supports the W3C XML Document Object Model (DOM), the XML Stylesheet Language (XSL) W3C working draft and the XML 1.0 Namespaces Recommendation. In addition to developing software for manipulating XML data, Microsoft is also working to facilitate the open definition of standard XML vocabularies for specific industries and applications through the BizTalk initiative. BizTalk is an XML framework for both application integration and electronic commerce that defines a common set of guidelines for how Microsoft, its associates and other industry groups can standardize the interchange of business data between applications. www.microsoft.com
ALPNET, Inc. announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent with Stork N.V. in the Netherlands, which is expected to lead to the acquisition of Stork’s $7 million Stork TPS business unit before the end of May 1999. Completion of the transaction is subject to due diligence, board approval, and the execution of a definitive acquisition agreement. Stork TPS is a business active in industrial information consulting and translation services. Stork TPS also provides high-end SGML publishing solutions to international corporations like Volvo, Daf Trucks, Philips Medical Systems, and Eurocopter. The purchase price will be paid in shares of ALPNET common stock. In 1998, Stork TPS was profitable and the acquisition is expected to be accretive for ALPNET. www.alpnet.com
PC DOCS/Fulcrum, and MAZ Technologies announced the release of iMail, an encryption product integrated with DOCS Open that is both customizable and transparent in the DOCS Open environment. With iMail, users can avoid security risks by sending encrypted e-mail attachments to DOCS and non-DOCS users without disrupting their regular workflow. iMail is the latest member of a full suite of IntelliGard security encryption products from MAZ Technologies designed for integration with DOCS. As part of a special promotion, PC DOCS/Fulcrum users can now download a 21-day evaluation copy of iMail from www.maztechnology.com/files/main.html. Users must enter the registration code: pcdocs (all lower case letters with no spaces). www.pcdocs.com
Microsoft Corp. announced it has joined the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum, a consortium of more than 90 firms focused on developing wireless information and telephony services for digital mobile phones and other wireless terminals. Microsoft will work with WAP Forum members to accelerate the deployment of wireless mobile devices, as well as a broad range of wireless data services based on broadly supported Internet standards from the W3C, including XML. www.microsoft.com
