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Product Briefs

MySQL Version 4.1
MySQL AB has announced Version 4.1 of the MySQL database, a high-performance relational database management system for Web site and business app development and deployment.

The latest release includes improvements in the product’s architectural foundation for building heavy-load commercial apps. It includes support for SQL subselects, as well as an improved MySQL server library that is said to have a smaller memory footprint and to perform faster when embedded in third-party software. Version 4.1 supports secure traffic between the client and the server. Other features include support for Unicode, support for a subset of GIS data types, support for up to 64Gb of memory, and better performance through in-memory tables using B-Tree indices.

MySQL Version 4.1 can be download at no cost from the company’s Web site.

MySQL AB, Seattle, Wash., www.mysql.com


SonicMQ 5.0
Sonic Software has announced SonicMQ 5.0, the next generation of the company’s enterprise message server. This release includes new clustering, management and security features.

Through advanced clustering technology and improvements to Sonic’s Dynamic Routing Architecture (DRA), this release is said to enable the reliable delivery of business information across highly distributed topologies. The product’s clustering architecture provides high availability in environments through parallel access to multiple message servers. SonicMQ 5.0 allows users to configure, deploy, monitor and diagnose multiple distributed servers from a central management console. Also included is a flexible and pluggable security framework with standards-based features that integrate with existing security technologies such as Netegrity’s Siteminder and Microsoft’s Active Directory. Authentication and authorization, as well as encryption support, help to ensure that message and enterprise system access is appropriately restricted, both inside and outside the firewall.

Sonic MQ 5.0 development edition is priced at $2,500 per CPU. Pricing for the deployment edition starts at $5,000 per CPU.

Sonic Software Corp., Bedford, Mass., www.sonicsoftware.com


Frictionless Sourcing 3.0
Frictionless Commerce has announced the Frictionless Sourcing 3.0 platform, which includes globalization, integration APIs, contract spend tracking, legal contract generation and a supplier management portal.

The platform allows users to view their native language, currency and time zone. Integration APIs provide built-in integrations to desktop applications and published APIs for back-end systems. The APIs also help users to create and manage contracts and to track spending against line-item prices. A supplier management portal helps users to manage supplier interactions.

Frictionless Commerce has also added five modules to its Sourcing Optimizer module. A Workflow module can be tied to a trigger event in the platform. A Demand Aggregation module automates requirements specification and quantity forecasting. A Bill of Material (BOM) module allows BOMs to be imported, managed and exported. A RFQuick module allows business users to run bidding events from their desktops with approved vendors and templates. And a Spend Analysis module includes synonym mapping, on-the-fly error correction and pivot tables for analysis.

According to company representatives, pricing for Frictionless Sourcing 3.0 can range from the mid-six figures to more than $1 million.

Frictionless Commerce, Cambridge, Mass., www.frictionless.com


FirewallAnalyzer V3.0
FirewallAnalyzer V3.0, from eIQnetworks, is a browser-based, cross-platform firewall/VPN analysis and reporting solution.

The product can be used to gain insight into Internet, internal network and network protocol usage patterns. It can also spot potential network problems, categorize attacks based on severity and source, and convert cryptic security messages into reports in HTML, Word, Excel, PDF and text formats.

Pricing is $495 for the first firewall server/appliance and $395 for each additional appliance.

eIQnetworks Inc., Wayland, Mass., www.eiqnetworks.com


Vizional Adaptive Identification Management
Vizional Technologies has announced its Vizional Adaptive Identification Management app, which provides companies with enhanced supply network visibility and end-to-end security; better inventory, asset and high-volume transaction management; more accurate supply-chain execution; and shorter times to process shipments of processed goods.

The product’s Vizional RFID Network Enabler module is an advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution that allows firms to integrate, manage and secure RFID networks with existing enterprise systems.

Vizional Technologies Inc., Santa Monica, Calif., www.vizional.com


AdminStudio 5
AdminStudio 5, from InstallShield Software, prepares applications for deployment to Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems. It handles every aspect of preparing software for deployment, including repackaging, testing, conflict solving, transforming, updating and final posting of the software deployment mechanism.

The product’s Application Catalog is a single database repository that serves as the coordination hub of all application migration and life-cycle management data and tasks. The Catalog’s Enterprise Dashboard shows the state of every app at all times.

InstallShield Software Corp., Schaumburg, Ill., www.installshield.com


ON iCommand
ON Technology’s ON iCommand is a unified Web-enabled solution for managing a broad range of devices over any type of network, including wired and wireless LANs, WANs, mobile cellular, and dial-up and broadband Internet connections.

Its Java-based agent and server technology supports desktops, servers, retail kiosks and mobile devices such as laptops and handhelds, and has been designed to support next-generation devices such as intelligent cell phones, embedded vehicle systems and consumer set-top boxes.

ON Technology Corp., Waltham, Mass., www.on.com


Cartesis Magnitude v8.2
Cartesis Magnitude v8.2 is a Web-based financial analytic platform that is highly scalable and can make use of multiple application servers. This allows as many users as required to participate in the monthly reporting process or to work on different tasks, such as consolidation, budgeting, forecasting, planning or analysis, all using the same application. The product also intelligently allocates users to a specific server at the time they sign on, thereby ensuring that there is always a load balance between servers.

The system draws data from numerous sources into a single database to become the “system of reference” for all financial and related non-financial business performance data.

Cartesis, Stamford, Conn., www.cartesis.com


Strobe 3.0 and iStrobe 1.1
Compuware Corp. has released the Strobe 3.0 and iStrobe 1.1 app performance management solutions.

Java JVM support in Strobe 3.0 allows firms to better understand and improve the performance of Java apps running under CICS, batch and WebSphere and that may call DB2 during development and production.

iStrobe 1.1 provides a Web-browser interface that helps users to find and solve performance problems. New in V1.1 is complete Strobe subsystem support.

Compuware Corp., Farmington Hills, Mich., www.compuware.com


Pilot BusinessMonitor
Pilot Software has announced that its performance management solution, Pilot BusinessMonitor, is Balanced Scorecard Collaborative Certified.

The product has an intuitive, browser-based interface; out-of-the-box analysis capabilities; an open, flexible architecture; and built-in Time intelligence to automatically link performance management to corporate fiscal calendars.

Pilot Software, Mountain View, Calif., www.pilotsoftware.com


Axeda Policy Manager
Axeda Systems Inc. has released Axeda Policy Manager, a new customer security component of its Axeda DRM System.

The component enables customers to uniquely define, automate and audit the remote access policy for each of their devices. It is said to offer real-time control of the kinds of data and files that can be retrieved, and which diagnostic, update and repair operations can be conducted by remote service personnel.

Axeda Systems Inc., Mansfield, Mass., www.axeda.com


LT Auditor+ Assessment for NetWare
Blue Lance Inc. has introduced LT Auditor+ Assessment for NetWare, a solution designed for use by network administrators to assess Novell’s NetWare and eDirectory for vulnerabilities.

The software scans Novell’s eDirectory and the NetWare file system for security policy violations, identifies vulnerabilities and risks, automatically collects specified audit data and prepares reports in easy-to-read formats.

Blue Lance Inc., Houston, Texas, www.bluelance.com


Telelogic Doors 6.0a
Telelogic Doors 6.0a allows development teams to use multiple languages within the same projects and databases, providing greater opportunity for distributed or outsourced international teams to collaborate on complex development projects. It is available from Telelogic.

V6.0a has electronic signature capability, extended OLE support, browser-like navigation and extensive rich-text formatting.

Telelogic, Malmö, Sweden, www.telelogic.com


PmValue Scorecard
PmValue Scorecard from PM Solutions is a tool that measures the impact of project management improvement initiatives.

Data from the tool enables project managers to track their progress, share statistics with key members of their firms, and provide quantifiable metrics to senior management determining the value of project management improvement initiatives.

PM Solutions, Havertown, Pa., www.pmsolutions.com


MKS Build and Deployment solution
The MKS Build and Deployment solution from MKS Inc. provides a consistent and repeatable approach to deploying software changes into production.

Built on the MKS Integrity Solution, the software deployment process can be secured to prevent unauthorized changes from being introduced, while providing rollback and audit capabilities to minimize the risk of failures.

MKS Inc., Waterloo, Ontario, www.mks.com


.Test 1.0
.Test 1.0 is a unit testing tool that automatically tests classes written on the Microsoft .NET framework without requiring developers to write a single test scenario or stub. It is from Parasoft.

It automatically performs static analysis on assemblies, tests code generation and functionality, provides detailed coverage information for both Intermediate Language (IL) and Source Code (SRC) statements, and maintains code integrity through automated regression testing.

Pricing starts at $3,495 for a single user (machine locked).

Parasoft, Monrovia, Calif., www.parasoft.com


Altiris Asset Management Suite
Altiris Inc. offers an update to its Altiris Asset Management Suite.

New features include the ability of IT administrators to import and export asset data collected by Altiris solutions to Oracle databases. Asset data can also be exported to databases and file types such as SQL, Excel, Access and CSV. The asset management console now offers categorized asset summary tabs for simplified asset data management.

The suite can be purchased for $64 per node when purchasing 100-499 nodes.

Altiris Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, www.altiris.com


SpectrumSCM API
Spectrum Software has added the SpectrumSCM API to its SpectrumSCM enterprise source configuration management solution.

Users can now write their own custom programs, known as plugins, and implement the SpectrumSCM API. Plugins are easily compiled and can be added to a running SpectrumSCM server through an XML interface. SpectrumSCM API will now enable users to connect to external issue-tracking systems or other business systems, implement a business rule-sensitive automated workflow, communicate change request creations or process transitions to downstream project management systems.

Spectrum Software, Atlanta, Ga., www.spectrumsoftware.com


Marimba Device Management offerings
Marimba Inc. has announced its next-generation Device Management offerings, which will provide enhanced software change management capabilities for mobile and handheld devices.

Inventory management/auto discovery capabilities detect which devices are connected to desktops, servers or laptops. Application packaging capabilities leverage a variety of installation venues, including Marimba’s existing app packager, Microsoft’s ActiveSync and Palm’s HotSync technology.

Marimba Inc., Mountain View, Calif., www.marimba.com


Shunra\Storm 3.0 Solution Suite
Shunra Software has launched Shunra\Storm 3.0 Solution Suite, a product that allows a real application to be deployed and exercised over a virtual enterprise environment. This gives users the flexibility to see how their distributed application behaves from anywhere in the world.

V3.0 includes StormAppliance and StormConsole. StormAppliance is a platform-independent Layer 2 and Layer 3 network appliance that changes the way data packets traverse the LAN, and subjects these packets to the same conditions they will experience on the WAN. StormConsole utilizes Microsoft Visio software to design and control the virtual enterprise environment.

Shunra Software Ltd., New York, N.Y., www.shunra.com


iRise Application Simulator
iRise Application Simulator enables business analysts to create an interactive simulation of Web applications without a single line of code; allows business users to use and test software prior to development; and supports remote collaboration in the requirements definition process. It is available from iRise.

iRise Application Simulator consists of a Server component and a Studio component. The Studio is priced at $9,995, while the Server is priced at $120,000. A typical entry-level configuration consists of five studio users (for simulation creation) and 25 online users to view the simulation, access the central repository and provide feedback.

iRise, El Segundo, Calif., www.irise.com


iNotion 2.0
iNotion 2.0, a product life-cycle management portal for software, is available from I-Logix.

With iNotion, firms can set up their development infrastructure by defining each team member, their role on the project, their privileges to access project information, and their subscription and notification rules for product administration.

Pricing is based on volume, and is offered as a fixed-seat license or on a per-seat, per-month subscription service.

I-Logix, Andover, Mass., www.ilogix.com


V1:XP
VersionOne LLC has released V1:XP, a flexible, Web-based project management framework that helps companies to streamline the implementation of Extreme Programming (XP).

The product incorporates support for XP’s planning and management practices -- Story Management, Release Planning, Iteration Planning and Tracking, Team Velocity, Task Management, etc. -- and can be up and running in a matter of minutes. V1:XP supports multiple projects, releases, teams and locations in a single, integrated environment.

VersionOne LLC, Atlanta, Ga., www.versionone.com


KDCalc V3.0
Knowledge Dynamics has released KDCalc V3.0.

The product compiles Microsoft Excel spreadsheets into executable code, effectively turning Excel into a software development environment. KDCalc allows programmers and non-programmers to build complex business logic in Excel in a fraction of the effort, cost and cycle time of hand coding such logic in a programming language. Developers need only to pass input data into the right cells in KDCalc and retrieve the results out of the cells with formulas.

Knowledge Dynamics, Evanston, Ill., www.knowledgedynamics.com


PKZip for Unix 6.0
PKWare Inc. has released PKZip for Unix 6.0, a major upgrade to its PKZip solution for Unix.

Version 6.0 offers advanced data compression and security features. Users can now store any number of files in an archive of virtually unlimited size. The command line interface supports scripting and other server-based apps, while the X-Windows GUI provides desktop users with access to all zipping and unzipping functions, including full drag-and-drop functionality, toolbars, menus and configuration options.

PKZip for Unix 6.0 includes support for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). It also supports the IBM AIX, HP-UX, Solaris and Linux x86 platforms.

PKWare Inc., Brown Deer, Wis., www.pkzip.com


Etnus TotalView 6
Etnus has shipped Etnus TotalView 6, which includes expanded compiler and hardware coverage, support for HP UPC 2.0, improved C++ support and support for seamless Java/C/ C++ debugging through Etnus’ new CoadRoad JNI Bridge.

The latest version also supports IBM’s Power 4 Regatta hardware, Sun 64-bit architectures and compilers, and Scyld’s Beowulf cluster systems.

Etnus, Natick, Mass., www.etnus.com


ObjectAssembler (OA) 2.5 Enterprise
ObjectAssembler (OA) 2.5 Enterprise supports the pattern-based design, development, assembly and deployment of enterprise applications. It is available from ObjectVenture Inc.

Key features include patterns support, knowledge base enforcement, integrated application server support, Struts support and J2EE support. ObjectAssembler is internally programmed to a VIDE that lets all of the tool’s functionality be used inside popular IDEs.

ObjectVenture Inc., Shirley, Mass., www.objectventure.com


Ants Profiler
Red Gate Software has released Ants Profiler, a software tool that allows developers to drill down to examine slow code in any .NET application.

The tool is said to profile apps written in any of the 30 or 40 languages supported by the .NET framework, and to pinpoint problems in less than five minutes. It also helps developers to understand the behavior of complex code and the trade-offs that determine how it performs.

Ants Profiler is priced at $195.

Red Gate Software Inc., Cambridge, England, www.red-gate.com


New CodePro offerings
Instantiations is shipping three new offerings in its CodePro product line.

CodePro Advisor provides best-practice tools for Java development. Features include code audit, code metrics, and Javadoc audit and repair. CodePro Agility provides productivity tools for Java development and includes design patterns, and enhanced browser views and Java navigation. CodePro Build provides build management tools for Java development. Features include export sets, Ant integration enhancements and a task scheduler.

CodePro Advisor is $595, CodePro Agility is $495 and CodePro Build is $395.

Instantiations Inc., Portland, Ore., www.instantiations.com


NewJ Library for C++
NewJ Library for C++, from PureNative Software, provides Java language features and constructs in Ansi C++.

The product makes it possible to convert Java source code to C++ or to develop new C++ applications that take advantage of Java language features.

A free minimum 30-day evaluation of NewJ Library for C++ can be found at www.pure-native.com/newj.html.

PureNative Software Corp., www.pure-native.com


chm2web Version 2.16
A!K Research Labs offers Version 2.16 of chm2web, an online help systems creation utility with an extensive set of features to make the creation of live, interactive Web-based help systems easier.

The product features a step-by-step wizard interface to create customizable, template-based help systems that comply with the current Web site design and that utilize the latest client-side scripting technologies to make the help system interactive.

chm2web V2.16 costs $34.95.

A!K Research Labs, www.aklabs.com


WSDL Editor
Cape Clear Software’s WSDL Editor provides a graphical environment for creating/editing WSDL.

The latest release has new, automated wizards that simplify the creation and editing of proprietary and industry-specific XML Schemas. The latest release also includes advanced WSDL capabilities such as imports, faults, SOAP headers, multiple bindings and parameter ordering as defined in the latest WSDL spec.

Cape Clear Software, San Mateo, Calif., www.capeclear.com