InfoWorld.com articles from February 2004

InfoWorld.com archives from February 2004

Computer Associates boosts apps modeling; ERP integration, usability boosted in AllFusion package.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Computer Associates on Monday is unveiling a version of its AllFusion Modeling Suite that features tighter integration with ERP packages, the company said. Version 4.1.4 of the application development life cycle...

Attachmate puts connector on mainframe; myExtra Smart Connector takes advantage of mainframe performance, security.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Tom Sullivan Attachmate on Monday detailed a mainframe version of its myExtra Smart Connector. Whereas the company's previous versions connected to mainframe and legacy systems but only ran on smaller servers, this latest...

IBM's Grady Booch on solving complexity; Big Blue Fellow talks about grid computing, the future of middleware, and working with IBM Research.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell With IBM's acquisition of Rational Software, Grady Booch -- one of the original developers of the Unified Modeling Language and a thought leader in the area of architectural software -- has become the proverbial kid in...

Infragistics adds 508 support; Latest version of NetAdvantage equipped for visually and hearing impaired.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Tom Sullivan ISV Infragistics on Monday released Volume 1of its NetAdvantage 2004 tool box for constructing commercial user interfaces. Volume 1 brings support for Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, so visually and hearing...

Novell does the executive shuffle; Company looks to hone Linux strategy.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell Novell on Monday announced it has appointed Gerard Van Kemmel as chairman of Novell EMEA, and Richard Seibt as president of Novell EMEA as part of a wider reorganization that could help sharpen the company's Linux-based...

Sun pitches its Linux desktop to IBM; Open letter criticizes Big Blue's commitment to platform.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Sun Microsystems, in a somewhat sarcastic open letter to IBM posted on Sun's Web site, is inviting Big Blue to purchase Sun's Linux-based Sun Java Desktop System for IBM's own employees. In a letter dated Jan. 21...

WatchGuard launches all-in-one security appliance; Company targets SMBs with new box.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Scott Tyler Shafer With designs to make life easier for small and midsize businesses, WatchGuard on Monday introduced a line of expandable multi-function security appliances. Dubbed Firebox X, the family of Intel-based devices...

IBM lands huge Sprint deal; Big Blue to run all of customer care.
February 4, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz In a deal valued in the billions of dollars, Sprint signed on with IBM Business Consulting Services to revamp its customer care service, a Sprint business unit that up until now has a less than sterling...

Trolltech updates Linux app dev framework; Company released Qt 3.3 featuring .Net interoperability.
February 4, 2004... Byline: Tom Sullivan Trolltech on Wednesday issued Qt 3.3, its C++ application development framework. Qt enables open source programmers to write applications that run across Linux, Windows, Unix, and Mac operating systems with what...

Windows XP Media Center injects new life to the boardroom; Relive the highlights of a recent meeting (or the Super Bowl).
February 6, 2004... Byline: Oliver Rist I'm surprised to be writing this. Last night, I fully expected to suffer a massive coronary during the final 30 seconds of the Super Bowl. But Adam "The Iceman" Vinatieri casually shrugged off his worst first half in...

Preventive measures; I know you're tired of hearing about Mydoom or Novarg, or whatever it is; so am I.
February 6, 2004... Byline: Wayne Rash Unless you've been tinkering with the rovers on Mars and are just now returning to this planet, you've likely had your fill of the stories of the latest worm. And unless you're running SCO's Web site, you probably have...

FC storage prices falling: Is it still news? SMBs targeted for networked storage.
February 6, 2004... Byline: Mario Apicella Don't look now, but FC (Fibre Channel) storage is finally becoming more affordable. It was inevitable. I predicted, as did many others, that the combined effect of new technologies such as iSCSI, Serial ATA and...

AmberPoint upgrades Web services suite; New version includes upgrades to all four products.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Tom Sullivan AmberPoint on Monday detailed updates to its Web services management platform. AmberPoint 2004 includes upgrades to the company's four products: Service Level Manager, Exception Manager, AmberPoint for WebSphere,...

Compuware boosts Web services security in modeling tool; OptimalJ upgrade also functions with BEA, IBM app servers.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Compuware on Monday is unveiling OptimalJ 3.1, a model-driven Java development tool featuring support for the Web Services-Security specification as well as integration with application servers, modeling tools, and...

Optum releases TradeStream 3.0; Supply chain global tracking gets kicked up a notch.
February 10, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz Tracking inventory in motion got a boost this week with the release of Optum's TradeStream 3.0 supply chain process management software. One of the leading suppliers of best-of-breed supply chain software,...

Holy productivity wars; Despite what end-users might think, Microsoft Office isn't the only productivity suite in town.
February 13, 2004... Byline: Oliver Rist Objectivity is surprisingly difficult to achieve in IT management. Basing a network on Microsoft's platform typically revolves around two criteria: First, the software already in use in the enterprise is Windows-based....

Fevered dreams of security; When you have security nightmares, remember they could always be worse.
February 13, 2004... Byline: Wayne Rash I woke slowly, lying on sweat-soaked sheets, shivering from a chill that wouldn't go away. I pulled the damp covers over my shaking shoulders, and slowly opened one eye. The other seemed stuck shut. My head hurt. My...

We'll switch you for free, almost; IBM and XOsoft plot to reduce the cost of data migration.
February 13, 2004... Byline: Mario Apicella I recently switched my phone service from SBC to Sprint, lured by a flat monthly fee for unlimited local and long-distance calls. The new contract also brings other niceties such as call forwarding, teleconference,...

Update: Microsoft heralds Web services for devices; BEA, Intel, Canon also part of WS-Discovery specification.
February 17, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Microsoft is leading a group of vendors proposing a specification intended to extend Web services to devices. An official at rival Sun Microsystems, however, blasted Microsoft for what Sun believes is another attempt...

Ariba extends spend management suite; It's a best-of-breed vs. ERP world.
February 18, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz With the addition of three new enterprise products to its spend management suite, Ariba appears to be serving notice to the major ERP vendors that it owns the sourcing and procurement technology market. This...

Microsoft, Sun tackle Java from opposing vantage points; Tools readied to improve platform and help developers move off it.
February 18, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Microsoft and Sun Microsystems this week are making moves in Java, with Sun looking to boost the platform and Microsoft attempting to lure developers away from it. Microsoft has made public the beta of J# Browser...

IBM readies software evaluation kits; PowerPacks feature role-based offerings.
February 18, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill IBM on Wednesday is releasing free evaluation kits for its software products. The PowerPack evaluation kits give users a chance to try out IBM software packages based on development roles within an organization,...

Microsoft rolls out beta of Virtual Server 2004; Fifteen thousand testers to get the first beta.
February 18, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell Microsoft on Wednesday announced it has sent out to more than 15,000 testers the first beta of its Virtual Server 2004 , which features a number of new capabilities including improved security. The upcoming server,...

Microsoft rolls out beta of Virtual Server 2004; Fifteen thousand testers to get the first beta.
February 19, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell Microsoft on Wednesday announced it has sent out to more than 15,000 testers the first beta of its Virtual Server 2004 , which features a number of new capabilities including improved security. The upcoming server,...

Interview: Juniper focuses on securing government networks; Senior VP Dubhe Beinhorn discusses the lessons learned in government that apply across the enterprise.
February 20, 2004... Byline: Wayne Rash Juniper Federal Systems was created as an entity within Juniper Networks to address the specific needs of the federal government. InfoWorld Senior Analyst Wayne Rash spoke with Dubhe Beinhorn, senior vice president at...

FDA proposes RFID tagging to stop drug counterfeiting; Drug pedigrees tracked.
February 20, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report, Combating Counterfeit Drugs, published this week recommends the "adoption and common use of reliable track and trace technology," later referred to as RFID (Radio...

Spam on the edge; Exchange 2003 can strengthen your fight against unwanted e-mail.
February 20, 2004... Byline: Oliver Rist Two weeks 'til I'm back in Honolulu, home of warm network testing labs, glorious sunrises and sunsets easily visible through test lab windows, and a statewide love of spam. Although I do confess that after visiting for...

Microsoft code release - so what? The release of Windows 2000 and NT source code has some important implications, but security vulnerabilities aren't one of them.
February 20, 2004... Byline: Wayne Rash The word last week that portionsof the source code for Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows NT had been leaked to the public spread through the gossip sites like wildfire. There was a flood of e-mails ("What do you think?"...

XIOTech drops the other shoe; SMBs get clustering option.
February 20, 2004... Byline: Mario Apicella Years ago, I was given a very basic demo of a XIOTech Magnitude. I recall being impressed with its ease-of-use and its powerful management software. I walked away from the presentation thinking that XIOTech was...

VMWare throws a virtual counterpunch; Company rolls out new virtual server.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell On the heels of a similar announcement from Microsoft, VMWare on Monday is rolling out a virtual server aimed at corporate users looking to carry out departmental level server consolidations and at corporate developers...

Macrovision releases software licensing package; FlexNet Publisher ships.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Macrovision on Monday is shipping Macrovision FlexNet Publisher, a software licensing system for software vendors that features flexible pricing and packaging, advanced security and automated lifecycle management, the...

PeopleSoft responds to demand-driven manufacturing; Company adds two portal components to its SRM suite.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz Citing the need to upgrade the PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne Supplier Relationship Management suite to support demand-driven manufacturing, PeopleSoft will unveil three major components to the suite at the National...

Remedy curing services management; Action Request System 6.0 is released.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Remedy on Monday will upgrade its services management system with enhanced drill-down capabilities and links to third-party network management systems. The company's Action Request (AR) System 6.0 is being described...

IBM rolls out fastest Unix box; Big Blue's New p690 server goes after HP, Sun.
February 24, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell IBM on Tuesday plans to push the high end of its eServer p690 server line higher, rolling out a system containing a 1.9 \GHz Power processor and capable of holding as much as a terabyte of memory. Expected to ship...

Websidestory unveils HitBox 10; Web analytics reaches beyond marketing.
February 24, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz Websidestory ramped up the feature set of its HitBox Web analytics tools and unveiled this week the latest version as HBX, HitBox Version 10. HBX will replace both HitBox Enterprise and HitBox Commerce services....

Accellion rolls out e-mail attachment caching; Appliance aids performance, server consolidation.
February 25, 2004... Byline: Cathleen Moore Accellion this week introduced a caching appliance designed to offload e-mail attachments from mail servers. Dubbed Accellion Attachments 3.5, the hardware and software appliance can take over the delivery of large...

Microsoft boosts ASP .Net apps development; Tools, migration guides released.
February 25, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Microsoft on Wednesday introduced Microsoft ASP .Net Resource Kit, which provides additional tools and resources for developers building Web applications. ASP .Net migration guides also were released. The kit...

IBM escalates SMB war with Microsoft; Big Blue piles up ISV wins.
February 25, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell Trying to build some momentum going into its annual PartnerWorld conference in Las Vegas next week, IBM on Wednesday announced it has now signed up 200 ISVs (independent software vendors) in 10 months to its ISV...

Real Software boosts Windows-Linux migration; Conversion utility moves applications.
February 25, 2004... Byline: Paul Krill Real Software is adding the ability to migrate Windows applications to Linux in an upgrade of the company's Realbasic tool. Available Wednesday, Version 5.5 of Realbasic includes a conversion utility that can migrate...

WS-I outlines security scenarios; Threats and countermeasures documented.
February 25, 2004... Byline: Scott Tyler Shafer SAN FRANCISCO -- A report issued Wednesday at the RSA Conference by the Web Services Interoperability (WS-I) organization identifies potential security threats to Web services and suggests solutions for them. ...

Interview: Office System tightens client and server bond; Gydis Barzdukas discusses Office as a development platform and Microsoft's goal to integrate it with Windows Server and SharePoint.
February 26, 2004... Byline: Ed Scannell Microsoft's Gydis Barzdukas would seem to be a man in the right place and right time to carry out Microsoft's stated strategic goal of more closely knitting together its Windows Server 2003, SharePoint servers, and...

Hyperion unveils first fruits of Brio merger; BI Platform makes it easier to create customized dashboards.
February 26, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz Leveraging its recent acquisition of Brio, Hyperion announced this week a new BI Platform that combines its Essbase Version 7, OLAP platform, and Hyperion Performance Suite Version 8.2, formerly the Brio...

Trillium acquires Avellino to strengthen data management hand; Avellino adds data profiling to the mix.
February 27, 2004... Byline: Ephraim Schwartz Trillium Software, a subsidiary of Harte-Hanks announced today the acquisition of Avellino Technologies, a vendor of data profiling software. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. While...

Expanding to Windows 2003 Server; Enhancements to Windows 2003 Server ease the work of stretching your network beyond your company headquarters.
February 27, 2004... Byline: Oliver Rist The economy is coming back. No, really. President Bush and The Wall Street Journal agree, so it's got to be true. Those indicators notwithstanding, there does seem to be an actual pulse to the tech industry of late, and...

New hope for Windows; There are big security plans in the works for SP2, but are they enough?
February 27, 2004... Byline: Wayne Rash The Microsoft executives were out in force at the RSA security conference last week. In meeting after meeting, they told the press (who dutifully passed the news along to you) about significant new security enhancements...

Tape libraries go virtual; Disk-based backup solutions are gaining momentum, but VTLs may keep tape in the game.
February 27, 2004... Byline: Mario Apicella Disk-based backup is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the ever-growing, gigantic amounts of company data that needs protection combined with inexpensive, large-capacity disk arrays. An array of disk...