News

BEA unveils $694 app server

• By Jack Vaughan
• February 5, 2003

Like others, BEA may feel some effects to its low-end business as the JBoss app server for developers and entry-level deployers gains favor. Following in the wake of Sun, which offers a simple, free version of its app server packaged with its Solaris OS, BEA has spawned an initiative to drive entry-level adoption of its app server.

The company has just launched BEA WebLogic Express and BEA WebLogic Server, Workgroup Edition. Both are specifically designed for departmental-level budget and application needs. BEA WebLogic Server, Workgroup Edition gives departments of up to 20 end users the set of features found in BEA's flagship Java application server, including EJB support. On the other hand, WebLogic Express is a Servlet- and JSP-only app server.

Offered with Dev2Dev support, BEA WebLogic Express is priced at $694 per CPU.

''We are working to increase our focus on departmental development,'' said Frazier Miller, director, product strategy at BEA. ''We want to reduce the barriers to adoption of J2EE technology.''

How does Miller gauge the threat of free entry-level servers? ''When push comes to shove,'' he said, ''developers pick their runtimes based on a product's capability and functionality.'' He added that developers want ''a tested, proven runtime as soon as they move into production.''

Both new products, Miller affirmed, use the same code base as the main BEA server lineup.

The products are distributed via BEA Storefront and Programmer's Paradise. BEA WebLogic Server, Workgroup Edition with support, costs $4,000 per CPU.