DataChannel this week announced the next-generation of its Enterprise Information Portals (EIP) application server. DataChannel's EIP application server is based entirely on XML, and includes XPages, the first implementation of a transformation engine which converts data from heterogeneous sources into XML-ready schema.

DataChannel's transformation engine allows data to come from unstructured data sources such as documents, spreadsheets and Web content, along with structured data sources like databases, legacy systems, and mission critical applications. XPages provides a dynamic application environment that enables users to combine information from disparate sources into a single presentation. After the data is transformed with XPages, it is ready to be served on the Web.

The next version, which is code-named Excalibur 4.0, maintains the features of RIO 3.2, along with additional functionality such as:

• Enterprise scalability and performance
• a re-designed architecture based entirely on XML for enhanced data access
• a customizable interface with embedded XSL processing capability
• advanced administration capability providing N-tier support for access, configuration, and entitlements
• the introduction of XConn, an XML connector to read from and write to JDBC and ODBC compliant databases
• hierarchical meta-data management for faster indexing and search capacity
• XPages, which converts data from any legacy source and publishes it through the two-way Enterprise Information Portal
• support for the emerging XML document, authoring, and versioning standard (WebDAV) to allow file and record locking

DataChannel designed the XMLFramework to capitalize on the "Information Economy" through the use of the XML. This allows access to mission-critical structured information as well as unstructured data. DataChannel's XMLFramework consists of XML Professional Services, Solutions Software, XML Tools and Technologies, XML Training and Support Services.