Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced the availability of the Java API for XML Parsing Optional Package (“JAXP” ), and the formation of an expert group for the XML Data Binding project. The expert group for this project, which is going through the Java Community Process, consists of Allaire, Ariba, BEA/Web Logic, Bluestone Software, AOL/Netscape, Extensibility, Fujitsu, IBM, Object Design, Oracle, webMethods and Sun Microsystems. Sun’s announcement of the Java technologies for XML provides universal application logic that complements XML. The Java 2 platform and XML are complementary technologies that each have common features critical for Web-based applications, including platform-independence, industry standards, extensible, reusable, and global language support. Together, the Java 2 platform and XML will allow enterprises to simplify and lower the cost of information sharing and exchange in Web applications. The JAXP Optional Package allows developers to easily build Java-based applications enabled by XML for e-commerce, enterprise application integration, and web publishing. An optional package is a standard Java API that is not part of the Java Runtime Environment but can be optionally added depending on specific application needs. JAXP is now in early access release and available free-of-charge at http://java.sun.com/xml. The final version of JAXP is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2000. The JAXP optional package provides basic functionality for reading, manipulating, and generating XML documents through pure Java APIs. Seamlessly integrated with the Java 2 platform, JAXP provides a standard way for a Java platform-based application to plug in any XML-conformant parser. While the reference implementation uses Sun’s experimental high performing Java Project X as its default XML parser, the software’s pluggable architecture allows any XML- conformant parser to be used, such as the xml.apache.org XML parser, code named Xerces. (For information on this community project to which Sun donated technology visit www.apache.org) Sun also announced the expert group of industry leaders within the JCP that is working to create XML Data Binding software for the Java 2 platform. This project, code-named Project Adelard, will enable developers to deliver and maintain high-performance XML-enabled applications with a minimum of development effort. Project Adelard provides a two-way mapping between XML documents and Java-based objects along with a schema compiler tool. The compiler will automatically generate Java classes from XML schemas without requiring developers to write any complex parsing code. In addition, the compiler will contain automatic error and validity of checking of XML messages, helping to ensure that only valid, error-free messages are accepted and processed by a system. As with JAXP, Project Adelard is being developed through the JCP. Sun is working with the W3C XML Schema Group and other standards consortia, such as OASIS and XML.org. The specification and reference implementation for Project Adelard are under development by the expert group. Project Adelard will be available during the second quarter of 2000. www.sun.com
Category: Content technology news (Page 558 of 646)
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Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced that its Forte Fusion enterprise application integration (EAI) suite will feature enhanced support for XML and Java-based technologies that have emerged as the foundation for standards-based e-commerce solutions. Fusion uses an XML-based integration backbone and XSL for data integration. In addition, Sun announced that Forte Fusion will be enhanced to support Java technology-based adapters and Sun’s Java Message Queue 1.0 enterprise messaging software, giving customers increased access to open technologies to dot-com their businesses. The Fusion XSLT Data Transformation Engine employs XSLT to solve the core data transformation problem at the heart of any EAI solution. To support the development of XSLT rules, the Fusion Workshop for XSLT provides a graphical interactive workshop for authoring and testing. These XSLT capabilities will be available in the beta release of Forte Fusion 2.0 scheduled for the first quarter of 2000. During 2000, Forte Fusion will be enhanced to support Sun’s Java Message Queue 1.0 enterprise messaging software as a transport for its XML-based data integration backbone. Within Forte Fusion, messaging services are used to link separate applications into the Fusion backbone, which in turn provides services for data transformation and connectivity into the Fusion Business Process Engine. Fusion’s Java Message Queue support will complement existing support for HTTP and IBM’s MQSeries. In the Forte Fusion architecture, adapters are application wrappers whose sole purpose is to XML-enable applications that are not equipped with native XML support. Adapters connect to the Fusion backbone through a message transport, while the backbone provides semantic integration through the transformation of XML with XSL rules. This approach ensures that adapters are lightweight, quick to develop and reusable as general-purpose XML adapters. www.forte.com/product/fusion
Microsoft Corp. announced availability of the BizTalk Framework Document Specification 1.0, an updated component of the framework based on XML schemas and industry standards for sharing information. Microsoft submitted the BizTalk Framework Document Specification 1.0 to the BizTalk Steering Committee – composed of vendors, standards bodies and corporate customers – for review in September. The committee finalized and published the document specifications on the BizTalk.Org Web site (www.biztalk.org). Any individual or organization can access the specifications and use them to implement e-commerce and application integration solutions using the BizTalk Framework. With the final version of the specification now available, corporate developers and independent software developers can immediately embark on the development of BizTalk-compatible applications. The BizTalk Steering Committee provides guidance on the future direction of the BizTalk Framework and includes American Petroleum Institute, Ariba Inc., The Baan Co., The Boeing Co., Clarus Corp., CommerceOne Inc., Concur Technologies Inc., Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA), J.D. Edwards & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., Microsoft, New Era of Networks (NEON), The Open Applications Group (OAG), PeopleSoft Inc., Pivotal Corp., RosettaNet and SAP AG. www.microsoft.com/industry/biztalk
SoftQuad Software Inc. and Killdara Corporation announced a strategic alliance to integrate SoftQuad’s XMetaL XML content authoring environment and Killdara’s Paraphrase Engine. The integrated products will provide customers with a complete solution for creating XML documents and delivering them securely to the databases of business partners via the Internet. The Paraphrase Engine is a secure and intelligent XML-based network appliance. It can be easily connected to existing enterprise data sources such as databases, and configured to automatically generate XML reports from the data. The reports can then be delivered to trusted business partners using high-security, tamperproof Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. Documents received from partners can likewise be authenticated, decrypted and delivered to users in the form of XML documents. www.softquad.com, www.killdara.com
Interwoven, Inc. launched TeamSite 4.0, the latest version of its product. With a range of new features, TeamSite 4.0 builds on Interwoven
Scriptics Corporation announced the release of a full-production version of Scriptics Connect, the company’s business-to-business integration server. Scriptics also unveiled a beta release of Scriptics Connect v1.1, which provides support for the Red Hat Linux operating system and Netscape Enterprise Web servers. Scriptics Connect is an XML infrastructure for developing business-to-business applications. Scriptics Connectfeatures a number of innovative new technologies that significantly reduce the programming skill level required to capture business logic and create business integration applications. It provides a simple point-and-click mechanism for mapping between differing data structures. Scriptics Connect Author enables business and data analysts to create applications by dragging and dropping elements in a schematic view of an XML document. Much like pasting “Post-It” notes on a paper form to indicate how it should be processed, Scriptics Connect Author makes it easy for the analyst to attach actions to XML elements indicating how to process the corresponding elements. Many actions are pre-defined with action wizards, and because Scriptics Connect is built on the popular Tcl scripting language, developers can write simple scripts or develop custom wizards for custom actions. Unlike lower-level approaches that restrict programming to just one language, Scriptics Connect allows programming in a variety of languages, so users can use the language that is most appropriate to the task or that they’re most familiar with. Scriptics Connect 1.0 includes the Apache Web server on UNIX and contains an interface to Microsoft IIS Web server on Windows NT. Scriptics Connect 1.1 also provides support for the Red Hat Linux operating system and Netscape Web servers. With XML translation functionality. Scriptics Connect 1.0 is immediately available. Prices start at $62,500 for a complete development and deployment environment. Scriptics Connect 1.1 is currently available as a beta release and will be available for general release before the end of 1999. www.scriptics.com
Informatica Corporation announced PowerCenter.e, an expanded version of its PowerCenter data-integration software with new features added to enable e-business analysis. PowerCenter.e will help companies leverage their data across multiple sales, supplier and customer-interaction channels for business intelligence by integrating huge volumes of Web-transactionand clickstream data with information from more traditional enterprise sources such as ERP systems, relational databases, mainframe systems and external demographic databases. Informatica PowerCenter.e offers a set of unique capabilities that effectively extend PowerCenter’s reach to address the e-business market. By adding support for IBM’s MQSeries PowerCenter.e will provide near real-time support for extraction and loading of data from a company’s message queue infrastructure. PowerCenter.e’s support for message queuing will provide the vital framework for asynchronous, event-based, real-time e-business analytics. With PowerCenter.e, e-businesses will be able to import their XML data into a relational format while importing the metadata about that XML file into the data warehouse repository. As XML begins to gain widespread adoption, companies’ ability to source XML data will be vital to enabling e-business analysis. PowerCenter.e will ease the process of retrieving data from Web logs by providing tools to import and consolidate Web logs, and transform proprietary Web-log formats into standard, readable structures. PowerCenter.e will support sourcing and parsing of data from today’s three leading Web server products from Microsoft, Netscape and Apache. PowerCenter.e will be generally available in Q1 ’00. Pricing will start at $100,000, with upgrades for current PowerCenter customers starting at $50,000. www.informatica.com
SAQQARA Systems, Inc. announced the SAQQARA Commerce Suite that enables a “Content for Commerce” solution featuring product information management, publishing and XML exchange applications. Extending SAQQARA’s catalog management software, the new SAQQARA Commerce Suite represents a offering that combines search and guided buying functionality for industrial manufacturers and suppliers to easily establish an e-business strategy and capitalize on the tremendous e-commerce sales opportunities. By deploying the new SAQQARA Commerce Suite, businesses have a front-end application to launch customized commerce strategies that include integration with existing enterprise systems and interoperability with supply chain partners. Specifically, the suite provides Global 2000 manufacturers with a set of complementary Web server applications that enable them to manage and publish detailed product information with advanced product selection capabilities, exchange product information with supply chain partners via emerging XML standards, analyze customers’ online selection processes and fully participate in business-to-business electronic commerce opportunities. The SAQQARA Commerce Suite is an evolution of the company’s Step Search catalog management software. The new SAQQARA Commerce Suite leverages that technology into a complete suite of applications that enables product information management for e-commerce. ProductServer and the ProductServer Author will be available January 2000 and together are priced starting at $60,000. For those companies seeking an outsourced services model, pricing for application hosting starts at $3,000 per month. SolutionServer and the SolutionServer Author will be available January 2000 as an outsourced services model. Pricing for application hosting starts at $5,000 per month. PIXServer is scheduled for release in April 2000. AnalysisServer will be available January 2000 and is priced starting at $7,500. www.saqqara.com
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