News

SOA Report: GT Software Unveils Toolset

• By Kurt Mackie
• April 16, 2007

SOA Tools/Products
GT Software Inc. is offering the latest version of an integrated toolset for rapid solutions development in an SOA. The company's Ivory Service Architect version 3.3 product includes a graphical modeling environment, a SOAP processor and a server solution for batch processing. The toolset supports the deployment of services within CICS, zOS or Windows-based environments.

Curl Inc. has launched a new version of its rich Internet application product for SOA-based applications into the North American market. Version 5.0 of the Curl RIA platform includes an object-oriented programming language, runtime environment and integrated development environment for building and deploying Web-based applications.

Questra Corp. has unveiled a new version of its intelligent device management software suite. Release 5.2s of the Questra IDM Application Suite features enterprise SOA capabilities, including the use of standard data types across all service interfaces.

Citrix Systems Inc. is advocating the use of technologies such as application virtualization, optimization and streaming to improve the efficiency of applications, especially as companies globalize and have to link remote users. Citrix offers a suite of products to improve a company's application delivery infrastructure and it just rolled out NetScaler 8.0, starting at $17,500, which sets policies for Web-based applications.

SOA Partnerships/Acquisitions
BEA Systems Inc. plans to resell AmberPoint's SOA Management System. BEA will carry the product under its AquaLogic brand. The AquaLogic SOA Management product adds governance capabilities in heterogeneous environments, such as centralized policy management and distributed enforcement. BEA also announced its WebLogic Portal 10 product to create dynamic portals, which was recently selected by the New York University Medical Center to support hospital operations.

ClearApp Inc. has formed a partnership with Ascendant Technology, a large integrator of IBM WebSphere Portal and SOA solutions. Under the deal, ClearApp is providing its Application Performance Management Automation product that allows the measurement and management of applications for portals, J2EE and SOA applications.

IONA Technologies acquired privately held LogicBlaze, a provider of open-source solutions in SOA environments, for an undisclosed cash amount. The two companies have shared expectations about the prospects for open-source SOA technologies in the enterprise. LogicBlaze's Cofounder, Hiram Chirino, described open source for SOA as "rapidly becoming more mainstream" in an announcement.

SOA Education
iTKO Inc., a provider of SOA test solutions, has unveiled a SOA Master Class Online Web site that offers resources on SOA concepts, techniques and skills. The site, which is consponsored by webMethods and ZapThink, aims to address the shortage of qualified SOA architects by providing a formalized educational curriculum.

Progress Software is advocating better SOA management to avoid "rogue services," or lost Web services that cause problems for IT managers. The company offers a list of 10 misconceptions of SOA management and governance, with rogue services topping the list.