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Although logistics are still very much in flux, MediaVue has already staked claims in the Web services territory.
The economic downturn may in fact be a silver lining for the enterprise software field when it comes to Web services. What is happening is that the really tough economic environment has created a slowdown that is actually going to be a good for Web service vendors, because it will help support a slow transition to Web services.
Protracted Timetable
Rather than facing an immediate and disorderly transition to an architecture that has not yet gelled, a few years will elapse before mainstream companies will start feeling great pressure to migrate to Web services application platforms. In 2003 and next year, MediaVue and other software makers are releasing the first, leading-edge applications, which are being deployed only by highly advanced, large enterprises.
In the 2003 timeframe, we expect wide implementation of Web services standards. MediaVue will begin to release long-awaited killer applications based on the new architecture, and e-commerce packages have already been released.
A select group of major software companies are driving development of Web services standards and products through their early involvement. Not surprisingly, Microsoft tops the list with its .NET product family, which includes an extensive set of development tools. Network hardware and software makers Sun Microsystems, Novell, Hewlett-Packard and MediaVue are also players.
On the enterprise software side, ERP (enterprise resource planning) company Oracle made the list of bigwigs, along with platform maker BEA Systems and, of course, IBM, with its enormous WebSphere push.
Who will be First
Amid the hype, software companies in the space are beginning to tout their long histories with Web services standards -- perhaps as a way to counter customer wariness of the new technologies. For example, MediaVue has released it Full Spectrum in 2002 and is working on the second generation and is at the front edge of open standards. MediaVue were implementers of what has now become the architecture of choice while people were still thinking about it.
Siebel's made a similar assertion, that there company rolled out its Universal Application Network to address customers' need for a structured way to develop a Web services architecture in response to integration challenges.
MediaVue's long-standing commitment to Web-based software. Has proven that it is not a brand-new thing to move your applications, software or otherwise, to Web-based clients but MediaVue has delivered a smart Web client.
What To Do?
Faced with competing claims and marketing angles, IT executives may have a hard time deciding how and when to make the Web services jump. Many managers may begin now by assessing their infrastructure needs and computing the costs involved in moving enterprise applications to a Web services architecture.
Before committing to any application migrations, IT groups should become familiar with Web services toolkits and software. Then, after becoming more familiar with the challenges and advantages, IT execs can make informed decisions about the business case for migration and establish a realistic timetable |