News

Grid software lures Big 3 platform makers

• By Lana Gates
• November 24, 2003

Enterprise information integration software provider Avaki Corp. (http://www.avaki.com), Burlington, Mass., has inked an agreement with Sun Microsystems calling for Sun to offer Avaki's Data Grid software to its customers.

This agreement comes right on the heels of a similar agreement with IBM and solidifies Avaki's position as a serious contender in grid computing. Avaki has been working with Hewlett-Packard for about a year as well.

Avaki's Data Grid software is said to help companies access data from distributed data sources. 'It's a software package that allows the end user to get data from multiple data sources and roll it up so it looks like it's from one source,' explained Craig Muzilla, VP of marketing and strategy.

Sun, IBM and HP are all interested in concepts and the whole idea of more cost-effective computing structures, he added. 'One of the underlying themes with all three is that you can virtualize your resources.'

Data Grid, Muzilla continued, creates a layer where one can virtualize where files and databases are located and how one reacts with data transparently. It does so with a grid architecture. The grid becomes the data layer throughout an organization, he explained.

Although Data Grid is based on a grid architecture, Avaki has really applied grid concepts to data integration, according to Muzilla. The company classifies its product as enterprise information integration software.

Avaki targets companies that have data integration challenges as a result of multiple data sources and databases in a distributed environment. Officials said the company has a strong presence in the pharmaceutical industry and is beginning to market in the financial industry as well.

The agreement with Sun and subsequent agreements with IBM and HP bring to Avaki and its customers a great degree of leverage in the marketplace, according to Mike Miskovsky, VP, business development. 'When you talk about having major relationships with IBM, Sun and HP, there is a notion of essentially clearing the market,' he added. 'That sends a message to the marketplace in general that there is a consensus around this approach to managing access to data.'