ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- At this week's Gartner
Symposium/ITxpo, Gartner analysts are speaking on such topics as "Java vs.
.NET: Competition or Cooperation," and "Web Services Scenario: Setting and
Resetting Expectations," in an effort to promote "understanding the truth to
get through the hype," and to explain "what are Web services and how are they
effecting modern software development and deployment." Meanwhile, the World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C) remains in a quagmire over standards related to
business process integration (BPI). Application partners of the
Progress Company (Nasdaq: PRGS) recently debated these disruptive technology
trends and the delicate balance between the benefits and threats of Web
services, standardized business processes, and Microsoft's entry into the
packaged application market during a panel discussion posted at
http://www.progress.com.
As part of the Progress Company's Web services panel discussion series,
the first hosted last June by Infoworld and focused on Web services and supply
chain integration, eWeek's Executive Editor Stan Gibson hosted this second
discussion on Web services and BPI. The panelists debated the challenges posed
by collaboration between internal and external business processes, and the
controversies over the myriad of standards proposed to facilitate BPI.
Panelists weighed the promises of easy integration enabled by
standardization of BPI against the potential loss of individual control,
competitive differentiation, and diminished functional depth of business
applications. Progress partners account for more than 5,000 packaged
applications, and are renowned for their industry-specific business expertise
and cost-effective solutions for the real problems businesses face.
Navi Radjou, senior analyst at Forrester Research, provided survey-based
reflections and conclusions on Web services and standards-based integration.
"Integrating internal custom and legacy applications for a single enterprise
might offer a fast payback," Radjou said. "However, this might not be as
substantive as using Web services to connect a select number of customers,
partners and remote business units. We are seeing Web services gain traction
with trading partner and supply chain collaboration."
But Radjou added that companies should rethink the fundamentals of
existing business processes to get the most value out of emerging technologies
and standards. "I think most companies view Web services as a cost-effective
alternative to EAI (enterprise application integration). This shows me that
they haven't fully grasped the real potential of Web services. Down the road
is business process orchestration and multi-company integration."
Panel spokesperson Paul Moxon, SonicXQ product director from Sonic
Software, suggested that, with BPI standards so volatile, it should be the
role of a platform-independent company such as Sonic Software to monitor these
standards, identify the most valuable ones and then make them transparent and
easy to leverage by application vendors and users. Sonic Software is
committed to providing reliable interoperability of software applications
within and across enterprises based on Web services and Internet messaging
standards.
Moxon added that with so many vendors competing to dominate BPI standards,
it makes great sense for an independent, dedicated vendor to buffer ISVs and
end users from these standards wars. "Sonic remains dedicated to platform-
agnostic connectivity and, without a level of transparency, packaged
application vendors and users will be constantly tweaking their application
end points," Moxon concluded.
.NET - Threat or Opportunity for ISVs?
Several Progress business partners commented on Microsoft's move into the
packaged applications space, and Microsoft's vision of applications built upon
their .NET platform. Whether a threat or an opportunity, Microsoft's role in
Web services and the packaged application space was hotly contested by panel
participants. Progress will be expanding on their Web services and .NET
product strategy at their annual Summit Conference for partners in December.
Participants included the following Progress business partners:
-- eB2B, a leading provider of order management life cycle services;
-- Epicor, a leading provider of integrated enterprise and eBusiness
software solutions for midmarket companies around the world;
-- Integrated Warehousing Solutions (IWS), focused on improving warehouse
and logistical management; and
-- Innov8 Computer Software, LLC, a computer consulting company serving
the New York City metropolitan area.
Ken Dorsey, chief technology officer of IWS, asked, "What is a package
application except an opinion about how a business should operate?" This
comment reflects why BPI standards:
-- have so much potential to add value and increase profitability;
-- are complex and difficult to agree upon; and
-- have a negative potential to restrict choice if BPI standards are
irresponsibly controlled or dictated by a single vendor.
Other vendors emphasized that the importance of Web services lies in the
value it brings to the bottom line by enhancing or improving business
processes. "Regarding ROI on Web services, the bottom line for all technology
and any software is that it help generate a more profitable business," said
Paul Farrell, senior director product marketing, of Epicor. "That's how all
companies really look at things and that's how we should look at Web
services."
As the technology partner for packaged application vendors, Progress
considers its challenge is to walk that fine line that connects the reality of
today with the vision of tomorrow. "We are dedicated to making the technology
invisible and this certainly falls within the platform vendor's domain," said
Niel Powers, director of product marketing for the Progress Company. "Our
challenge is always how far up the stack of business processes can we move?
How far should we move? How much can we automate and how much should we
automate? After all, Progress is all about keeping the I in ISV."
To learn more about the Progress Web services strategy and upcoming
announcements, please contact Larry Fournier, lfournie@progress.com. Press
members attending Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 7-10 may
visit the Progress Company Booth #320, or the Sonic Software Booth #318.
Expert commentary is available from any of the panel participants, including
the following:
Expert Commentary
Available: Niel Powers, director of product marketing, the Progress
Company, a global supplier of software and services that
simplify the development, deployment, integration, and
management of business applications.
Paul Moxon, SonicXQ product director, Sonic Software,
enabling reliable interoperability of software
applications within and across enterprises based on Web
services and Internet messaging standards.
Navi Rajou, senior analyst, Forrester Research, which
identifies and analyzes emerging trends in technology and
their impact on business.
Press Contacts:
Candace Clemens Avi Dines
Progress Software Corporation Schwartz Communications, Inc.
(781) 280-4101 (781) 684-0770
cclemens@progress.com progress@schwartz-pr.com
SOURCE Progress Software Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.progress.com
CONTACT:
Candace Clemens of Progress Software
Corporation, +1-781-280-4101, cclemens@progress.com; or Avi Dines
of Schwartz Communications, Inc., +1-781-684-0770,
progress@schwartz-pr.com
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