GE Global Exchange Services (GE) announced the commercial availability of native XML support within the AppFusion product suite of integration brokers, which includes GE InterLinx, Application Integrator, and the Enterprise System. This announcement follows months of beta testing with several clients. The addition of XML support allows the AppFusion product suite to recognize the data type it is dealing with; as a result, the integration brokers can perform business rules upon the business object. The integration broker can inspect certain fields and values, route the business object to multiple destinations based on the content of these fields and transform the fields to other values or to completely new business objects using data transformation functions contained within the integration broker. The AppFusion product portfolio includes: Application Integrator, the transformation engine has a process for performing data transformation via a one-pass process. The one-pass process enables it to handle data transformation in a real time manner to facilitate speed. Application Integrator supports XML, EDI and user defined file formats including ODBC databases and is fully internationalized to provide support for multi-byte character sets. GE InterLinx, a multipurpose integration broker that provides a platform upon which clients can centralize, expand, and manage their Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) and electronic commerce integration requirements. GE InterLinx allows clients to implement a flexible, standard method for integrating their new ERP systems with their legacy applications, extending those applications for e-commerce, integrating their web applications with ERP and legacy systems, and streamlining their entire supply-chain. www.geis.com
Day: March 6, 2000
Eprise Corporation announced it has formed a partnership with Information Highway, a leading Internet systems integrator headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The agreement calls for Information Highway to market, sell, and support Eprise Participant Server technology and services to customers throughout Europe as a core solution for Web content management. The two companies will work on strategic accounts within the high technology and financial services sectors. www.ih.com, www.eprise.com.
The VoiceXML Forum announced it has completed the VoiceXML 1.0 specification, which is expected to expand the reach of the Internet by providing voice access to content and services. The Forum membership, which now numbers 79 companies, is reviewing the specification before it is submitted to the appropriate body for formal standardization. VoiceXML specification provides a high-level programming interface to speech and telephony resources for application developers, service providers and equipment manufacturers. Standardization of VoiceXML will: simplify creation and delivery of Web-based, personalized interactive voice-response services; enable phone and voice access to integrated call center databases, information and services on Web sites, and company intranets; and help enable new voice-capable devices and appliances. On the basis of the 0.9 version of the specification, released last year, many companies have already begun implementing VoiceXML in their products and services, and a market for third-party VoiceXML application development has begun to emerge. The VoiceXML 1.0 specification is based on research and development at AT&T, IBM, Lucent Technologies and Motorola, as well as comments from Forum members. 18 companies have joined the VoiceXML Forum as supporters since the 0.9 specification was issued, including Brooktrout Software; Cisco Systems; ConApps; Gold Systems; Indicast Corporation; Intraco Systems; IP Unity; ITT Industries; Net Technologies, Inc.; Nokia Corporation; Oki Electric Company, Ltd.; Onebox.com; PipeBeach AB; S-Link Corporation; Spyglass, Inc.; SS8 Networks, Inc.; Vail Systems, Inc.; and Voyant Technologies, Inc. The 1.0 version of the specification, currently being reviewed by Forum members, is now available to the public on the Forum’s Web site at www.voicexml.org
