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NEON introduces e-Business Accelerators
New Era of Networks (NEON) has introduced a new line of products that speeds implementation time for e-business integration.
Called Accelerators, the new products provide end-to-end implementations of a broad range of Internet-based e-business processes, such as eProcurement, eFulfillment, customer relationship management (CRM), Net markets, and e-business intelligence (eBI). NEON Accelerators include e-business process definitions, data formats, logical maps, business rules, and documentation.
NEON’s first Accelerator, for eProcurement, is part of the recently announced Commerce One BuySite Connector for ERP to SAP R/3. NEON will soon release Accelerators for eFulfillment, including an Accelerator for BroadVision to SAP R/3 integration. NEON will also develop Accelerators for other ERP applications, including Oracle and JD Edwards. Additional Accelerators for on-line customer self-service, Internet auctions, and data warehousing will be announced later this year.
WebGain launches development suite and buys Tendril Software
WebGain, an independent entity formed by Warburg Pincus Ventures and BEA Systems, was officially launched last week at the Software Development 2000 West trade show in San Jose.
As part of its launch activities, WebGain unveiled its flagship product, WebGain Studio, an integrated e-commerce development environment. It also announced its second acquisition, Tendril Software. Its first acquisition, completed in January, was Symantec’s VisualCafe, the market leader in Java development tools. WebGain Studio is built on best-of-breed technologies acquired and licensed from Symantec, Tendril Software, Macromedia, The Object People, and Sun Microsystems. By integrating and extending these proven technologies, WebGain Studio raises the bar for developer productivity, and establishes a new standard for an integrated e-commerce studio.
Tendril StructureBuilder is a suite of powerful and innovative model-based Java enterprise development tools that allow customers to visually create Java applications and to design, develop, and deploy Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs). StructureBuilder improves time-to-market and developer productivity through reduced design, coding, and debugging time.
Oracle licenses Tidestone’s Formula One for SEM suite
Oracle has licensed Tidestone Technologies’ Formula One for Java embedded spreadsheet technology for incorporation into Oracle Strategic Enterprise Management (SEM) applications.
Oracle SEM is an integrated suite of applications-Balanced Scorecard, Activity Based Management, and Value-Based Management-that enables managers to link strategic planning to execution, drive product and customer profitability, and increase shareholder value. Formula One for Java is a developer’s tool that provides robust data analysis on server and clients of Web-deployed applications. Oracle SEM uses Formula One for Java for analytical calculations and to read and write spreadsheet files and data entry templates in Java without relying on an external spreadsheet application on a user’s desktop.
Compuware delivers Java for e-commerce applications
Compuware has introduced NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java Edition, a suite of software development productivity tools that helps developers build reliable, high-performance applications with Java technology.
DevPartner Java Edition helps developers find problems with memory use, multithreading, code performance, and test coverage that can have a dramatic impact on the stability, reliability, and performance of Java applications. DevPartner Java Edition extends beyond Java code to support Web scripting technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, Java Server Pages, and Active Server Pages.
DevPartner Java Edition supports a wide range of applications servers, servlet engines, and Web servers on Solaris, Linux, and Windows 2000, including BEA WebLogic, IBM WebSphere, Allaire JRun, Apache JServ, and Microsoft IIS. NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java Edition will be available in the second calendar quarter of 2000.
American Software adopts IBM Application Framework
American Software has adopted the IBM Application Framework to allow its customers to develop and deploy American Software’s e-applications suite.
American Software has selected the IBM Application Framework for e-business to facilitate the rapid integration of the entire e-applications suite into any back office system; the Application Framework includes the WebSphere Application Server, MQSeries, and CICS Transaction Server. Together, they are said to simplify application development and deployment, and allow them to run applications in a scaleable, secure environment.
Cognos launches BI tools for J.D. Edwards ERP applications
Cognos has introduced business intelligence (BI) tools for the J.D. Edwards’ OneWorld and WorldSoftware enterprise resource planning (ERP) suites.
Called Cognos e-Applications, these tools are complete end-to-end BI applications; they include defined extractions and data models, proven business content, best practices displayed through captured business metrics, and a full suite of key performance indicators (KPIs), reports, and analyses. By using Cognos e-Applications, J.D. Edwards OneWorld and WorldSoftware customers receive a complete, cross-functional view of their ERP data, providing a strategic perspective on KPIs, reducing implementation costs and effort, and driving business and time to results.
Cognos e-Applications for J.D. Edwards will first be available for Sales Analysis and Inventory Analysis. The Cognos Sales Analysis for J.D. Edwards will be available within 60 days. Inventory Analysis will be available within 90 days. Cognos plans additional e-Applications customized for the J.D. Edwards community in 2000.
i2 delivers AS/400-based e-business software
i2 Technologies has introduced versions of its e-business software for the IBM AS/400 platform.
i2’s eBusiness and TradeMatrix solutions allow AS/400 customers to leverage i2’s software for operational excellence throughout the extended supply chain, increasing revenues, reducing expenses, making full use of assets, and increasing responsiveness to customer demand. This solution enables customers to link to comprehensive electronic marketplaces, such as i2’s TradeMatrix.com.
IBM and QAD expand QAD B2B to multiple platforms
QAD and IBM have entered into a joint agreement to combine their technical resources to make QAD eQ available on the IBM WebSphere application server and the IBM SanFrancisco Framework, a framework for developing e-business applications in Java.
The joint effort will leverage IBM development tools to enable QAD eQ to support multiple platforms, including IBM RS/6000, Netfinity, and AS/400, operating on IBM’s DB2 Universal Database. The QAD eQ B2B Order Management System enables companies to make the transformation to e-business through a suite of applications consisting of Sell-Side, Fulfillment, Replenishment, and Buy-Side Management, with Trade and Sourcing Exchanges. Through an advanced B2B Relationship Framework, QAD eQ will be designed to execute transactions based on the agreements and preferences of key parties making up the supply chain.
KPMG and Microsoft team for knowledge management
KPMG Consulting and Microsoft have introduced a suite of joint knowledge management (KM) solutions based on the Microsoft enterprise platform.
The joint solutions combine KPMG’s consulting and integration services with such Microsoft technologies as Office 2000 and Microsoft Exchange. These solutions include: a Program Management Office that enables information technology (IT) departments to capture, codify, track, and share information across the enterprise; and a customer management service that provides enterprise knowledge, enabling professionals to maximize customer value. This includes change management, consulting services, integrated systems architecture, creation of customer-centric data warehouses, and links to systems that affect customers.
Other joint solutions currently in development include KM expertise and services in mergers and acquisitions, research and development, and supply chain management. In addition to leveraging the intellectual capital of its employees, KPMG Consulting also will be able to assist its clients in developing and implementing their own knowledge management systems based on the Microsoft platform.
Energycentric.com offers B2B market for energy transmission and distribution
Energycentric.com says it is the first on-line business-to-business (B2B) marketplace dedicated to the equipment and services side of the energy industry, an estimated $30 billion market.
Energycentric.com will bring e-commerce to utilities and their suppliers without requiring significant investments in resources and technology by using the Internet as a marketplace. A business-to-business Web site, Energycentric.com is designed specifically for buying and selling products and services that go into the construction, maintenance, and operation of an energy delivery infrastructure for electricity and natural gas.
Energycentric.com will automatically generate all purchasing transactions from order creation through order acknowledgment, product shipping, invoicing, and payment receipt. Energycentric.com will also become a single reference point for requests for proposals (RFP), vendor-managed inventory (VMI), and logistics.
ICT Group launches ASP service, HostedTouch.com
ICT Group has launched HostedTouch.com, a fully integrated suite of customer relationship management (CRM) services available on an application service provider (ASP) basis for the growing customer care needs of dot.coms, click-and-mortar (CAM) companies, and ASPs.
These services operate in an integrated networked environment utilizing Oracle8i and the Aspect Customer Relationship Portal. Specific services include: iCT 24x7care.com, a 24×7 customer support portal; iCT Net2Tel.com, Web-enabled call center services; iCT MultiContactCare.com, integrated multi-media CRM services; and iCT e-Mail ‘n More.com, intelligent e-mail management processing services.
PSINet to Acquire Metamor Worldwide
PSINet has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Metamor Worldwide, a provider of information technology (IT) solutions and an application service provider (ASP). Metamor, headquartered in Houston, Texas, had 1999 revenues of $577 million and has more than 70 offices, with over 4,500 employees.
The combination also gives PSINet a controlling interest in Metamor’s publicly traded e-business solutions subsidiary, Xpedior. Xpedior provides comprehensive e-business solutions to global companies, government, and emerging digital businesses. The company helps its clients develop new e-business capabilities, then delivers reliable, end-to-end solutions needed to bring them rapidly to market. Headquartered in Chicago, Xpedior has approximately 1,300 employees.
The transaction, structured as a tax-free reorganization, has a $1.9 billion purchase price consisting of approximately 39.9 million shares of PSINet common stock. Each share of Metamor will be exchanged for .9 shares of PSINet common stock.
Firstwave now supports Oracle database and Linux and UNIX operating systems
Firstwave Technologies said its Firstwave eRM software will now support Oracle database technology and the Linux and UNIX operating systems. Firstwave eRM is a Web-based suite of customer/partner relationship management applications.
Firstwave eRM now offers several options: Oracle 8i can be run as the database server on Windows NT 4.0, Linux 6.1, and UNIX operating systems; and Windows NT 4.0 with SQL Server 7 will continue to be the application server for Firstwave’s N-tiered architecture.
Escalate allies with Sun, VeriSign, and GlobalCenter
Escalate, a provider of outsourced sell-side e-commerce services, has entered into alliances with Sun Microsystems, VeriSign, and GlobalCenter.
Escalate said it has combined these alliance technologies to provide a leading-edge infrastructure that enables secure and scaleable transactions between its clients and their customers. Subscribers to the Escalate commerce network can be selling on-line in less than six weeks.
