Oracle Corp. announced availability of Oracle Internet File System (iFS), which combines the simplicity of the Windows file system with the powerful information management features of Oracle8i. Now with iFS, companies can easily manage all their content in a single repository, content which is currently scattered across PC desktops, document management systems and web sites. This innovation yields tremendous gains in efficiencies for e-Businesses faced with the mounting problem of managing the variety and high-volume of content — not just data — being generated by the Internet, business-to-business exchanges, e-commerce and enterprise portals. In spite of the proliferation of the Internet and tremendous innovation within the software industry, the file system has been virtually unchanged in the past 20 years. Oracle iFS is a file system designed for the Internet. It brings order to today’s document chaos, supporting the storage and management of over 150 different file types, including documents created using XML. Independent software vendors (ISVs), especially XML and image document management application vendors, are embracing iFS as a means to innovate their applications rapidly delivering advances in functionality which were for all intents and purposes impossible to achieve under the primitive architectural constraints of the Windows file system. The availability of Oracle iFS marks a number of software innovations. Firstly, iFS breaks the link between the file system and operating system. iFS frees files from the operating system so that they can be accessed from any popular computer in much the same way that the Web browser freed applications. iFS delivers long overdue files system features such as versioning, check-in, check-out and advanced searching. Secondly, Oracle is first to provide native XML support in the file system, providing companies with the first secure and scalable means of managing high-volumes of XML files. Thirdly, Oracle is the first to offer completely open Java APIs to the file system allowing ISVs and developers to add, modify or override iFS’s default features. Oracle iFS includes: Drag and drop filing, Management of over 150 file types, Browser-based access from any operating system, Advanced search and version control, and an iFS Developers Kit. With general availability of Oracle iFS, comes availability of iFS-based services from Oracle. Oracle Consulting now offers Oracle iFS Quick Start for rapid implement iFS and Oracle8i in five business days or less. Oracle University will be offering two Oracle iFS courses in Summer 2000: “Oracle iFS Administration” and “Developing Applications with Oracle iFS.” Oracle iFS is generally available worldwide and is free with Oracle8i. iFS is available for immediate download to developers at Oracle Technology Network (OTN). www.oracle.com