DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / SEPTEMBER 15, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 37    ( Table of Contents )

Breaking News - Operating Systems & Middleware:

TDCI Announces Release 3.0 Of Integration Server

TDCI announced immediate availability of release 3.0 of the Integration Server Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) software product. TDCI's Integration Server supports a practical methodology for integrating enterprise applications, collaborative partner applications, and internet-based web services into seamless business processes while avoiding the complex and expensive "bells and whistles" found in traditional high-end EAI products. It is targeted primarily to mid-size organizations and departments within large corporations who have limited IT staffs and budgets, but who also have a critical need to integrate multiple software packages, legacy systems and eBusiness applications.

Integration Server provides all the essential capabilities needed to effectively integrate key business processes; i.e. the tools to:

• Integrate multiple applications and data sources on Windows, UNIX, IBM iSeries, and other platforms, as well as Internet-based applications and web services, using a common approach
• Maintain the integrity of data within each application and across the enterprise
• Automate the flow of data and transactions based on schedules and/or business events
• Provide a single point of control for administration of all integration.

Enhancements in release 3.0 include the following:

• New "Business Process Connectors" simplify integration management by grouping the task definitions, task lists and schedules that support a given business process into an entity that can be easily visualized, tested and maintained.
• New import/export capabilities allow easy transfer of connectors and their association between systems.
• Native support for Windows ActiveX scripts allows developers to utilize operating system features to be able to work with VB scripts or Java scripts for integration tasks.
• Expanded conditional processing capabilities allow tasks to be selectively executed, providing improved processing efficiency and error handling. Along with ActiveX scripting, this adds powerful if-then-else processing capabilities to integration tasks.
• Support for direct execution of programs on iSeries (AS/400), UNIX and Windows platforms provides added power for developing solutions.
• Improved administration capabilities further simplify daily operations with the addition of enhanced error reporting, error handling and retry functionality.

Having developed and deployed Integration Server to satisfy the integration needs of TDCI's base of over 350 mid-size manufacturing companies, TDCI has seen dramatic successes from its use and has recently expanded into other vertical markets, primarily through channel partners.

Dan DeMuth, TDCI president states, "There is just as much need for tools to develop and manage integration within mid-size companies as there is in very large companies, but there have been no appropriate software products available for that environment. We developed Integration Server to provide mid-market organizations and department-level teams with similar functionality to high-end EAI tools, but with much lower software, development, and maintenance costs."

Industry analysts are noting the need for so-called "EAI-Lite" solutions. The following statements have all appeared in recent articles:

• "IT departments can no longer limit themselves to a single computing environment and must have access to disparate data and applications in multiple locations. Traditional EAI addresses the issue, but at a prohibitive cost to small and mid-market organizations which need to investigate newer, more flexible 'EAI-Lite' type technologies to address their integration needs." Larry Tabb, founder of Tabb Group.
• "The problem is that integration today is sold using a one-size-fits-all model. Big 5 (EAI vendors) just are not conditioned to sell their products piecemeal, and their architectures are not set up to support individual projects. Using their stuff can be like rocket science." Eric Austovold, research director for enterprise applications and technologies at AMR Research.
• "There's definitely a backlash against (EAI) implementation expense," said Jon Derome, analyst at Yankee Group. "If you are trying to promote a project in an enterprise that carries a high services cost, forget it."