News January 1, 00:20 Eastern Time
Dec. 31, 1998 (InformationWeek - CMP via COMTEX) -- As 1999 begins, many companies are already fretting over how it might end. But between now and Dec. 31, when year 2000 compliance efforts will be put to the test, technology vendors will deliver a host of products that could have a more immediate impact on business computing.
The lineup includes Microsoft's Office 2000 applications and Windows 2000 operating system, improved integration software for enterprise applications, more powerful Intel-based servers, "intelligent" management software, and personalization technology for Web sites. And some users are eager for upgrades.
There's pent-up demand for Microsoft's Office 2000 desktop suite, due early in the second quarter. And Windows 2000, which Microsoft hopes to ship midyear, has created its own momentum. Howard Jones, CIO at Snapper Inc., a manufacturer of lawn mowers and tractors in McDonough, Ga., wants to move to the new products as soon as they're available. Jones says Snapper can benefit from Office 2000's improved links to the Web and Windows 2000's Active Directory.
With enterprise resource planning software widely implemented, there's a growing need to integrate disparate systems. Jorge Taborga, CIO of Bay Networks Inc., is in the market for products to connect Bay's SAP applications with the Baan applications of Nortel Networks Inc., which acquired Bay last August. "When you have a large enterprise, you're dealing with ERP-to-ERP connections," Taborga says.
Bay uses CrossWorlds Software Inc.'s integration tools; this quarter, CrossWorlds will introduce CrossWorlds Enterprise, software for integrating core processes such as finance, human resources, and purchasing. Other vendors are upgrading their integration systems as well. In February, Vitria Technology Inc. will unveil an enhanced connector for SAP that provides access to all of SAP's application interfaces. In the first half, Active Software Inc. will release an adapter to extend SAP's Business Workflow to non-SAP applications, as well as adapters for Baan, PeopleSoft 7.5, Siebel 99, and Vantive 8. Oberon Software will release an adapter in the first quarter that ties Siebel 99 into SAP and J.D. Edwards applications, among others.
The demand for increased computing power will be addressed as server vendors deliver Intel-based systems that push performance thresholds. By February, several vendors will ship systems with four 450-MHz Pentium II Xeon processors and 2 Mbytes of cache. Today's top-of-the-line Intel servers come with 400-MHz Xeon chips and 1 Mbyte of cache. The newer Xeon will provide a throughput gain of up to 15%; the extra cache will add even more, analysts say. By midyear, 500-MHz Xeon systems are expected.
More With Less
Several developments could lower the cost of computing or let IT departments do more with less. PC prices, for instance, will keep falling. In 1998, the average price of a PC dropped from $2,200 to $1, 800; this year it will fall to just over $1,200, according to Giga Information Group.
|
