Let's add to the competition list: WEBM
From Zona Research
Monday, October 18, 1999
Persistence Gets webMethods XML
Persistence Software and webMethods announced that the two companies have integrated the webMethods B2B integration server with Persistence's PowerTier for EJB application server. The webMethods integration server gives the Persistence application server access to a wide range of XML, EDI, and vertical industry protocols for real-time server-to-server application communication. These include RosettaNet for IT industry integration; FpML, for over-the-counter financial derivative securities trading; cXML, a procurement protocol backed by Ariba; OBI, an earlier procurement protocol, ACORD; an insurance industry transaction protocol; AOG protocols for ERP applications; and Microsoft's umbrella BizTalk protocols. The integrated software translates XML messaging from the webMethods server into Java objects and method calls in the PowerTier application server.
Who needs this extra junk when you can get it integrated from EXLN and
The combined software is available now on a variety of platforms, with developer packs starting at $15,000. Actual deployments of PowerTier application servers run more in the $30,000 per server range, and webMethods B2B deployments are typically in the $250,000 to $600,000 range.
for a lot less. This combo depends upon two companies. I'm sure they will promise no problems, but when the problems start the one will blame the other and neither will be able to fix the customers problem without a financial blood letting. That is, if you can get either to show up.
This is a smart move on the part of Persistence, recognizing that the big-time applications that will want the PowerTier value-add, those forward-cached EJBs that give real-time performance
Ho hum, beans.
will also want to interact with a wide variety of ERP apps, mainframe financial apps, EDI, and a universe of other vertical-industry-specific and application-specific protocols.
You can't do this on a compatibility basis. It has to be done in a unified environment, not in a shotgun marriage. The complexity multiplies any inter-system friction.
This translation arena has not been Persistence's strength, but it has been webMethods' strength. Rather than try to build its own, Persistence has added a well-recognized integration server, and can now present a unified product to large companies seeking real-time performance in complex Web applications.
The product is unified but the two systems may not be and the customers won't find out until scaling stress is applied.
This stuff is not at all for the faint-hearted, or for IT people just dipping their toes in the water. It is for big companies doing bigtime Web applications that do not want to stumble on scalability and performance the way that eBay did.
Wonder why they are so confident when failure is inherent?
We expect to see lower-cost XML solutions appear on the market, but we also expect large growth in this high-end area. |
