UPDATED: Cisco is preparing to launch a new device that would improve the performance and security of exchanging XML
The move could create new competition for traditional providers of application server and message broker middleware, and pit the product against companies such as DataPower and Reactivity in the market for fast, multiple messaging functionality for Web services
According to a source familiar with the plans, Cisco is quietly writing software for a hardware box that will provide
transformation, security, routing, service level monitoring and logging
capabilities in order to boost the performance of XML-based transactions.
The box will reportedly appear as part of the networking giant’s
Catalyst
Ethernet switch line, equipped with dual Intel Xeon-powered blades.
Moreover, the source said Cisco has hired Taf Anthias, the former CTO
of
IBM’s MQSeries middleware group, to lead an engineering team to make
products that address XML messaging.
Experts said Cisco would be testing a new competitive arena that includes current Cisco partners IBM ,
Microsoft and BEA Systems
. The device would be able to perform many
of the tasks associated with traditional middleware, such as
application
servers and message brokers.
Cisco declined to comment, other than to say it doesn’t
confirm or deny unannounced products. The company stated that, “as an
industry leader and innovator, Cisco is always exploring new areas to
add
value for customers.”
Searching for a More Intelligent Network
During its analyst conference in December, Cisco CTO Charlie Giancarlo
hinted at the push into XML messaging as part of a discussion about the evolution of
the networking market.
“Where we really see ourselves going is toward full message-based
routing
and into much higher elements of information, things like XML
messages
or MQ messages,” he said. Giancarlo also said the move is part of
Cisco’s
long-term strategy of creating an Intelligent Information Network that
will
virtualize applications and services.
“It’s validation that Web services is at the point that it’s worth it
The company’s goal is to tie the network and applications together, so
that
the network can automatically provide the resources and services any
application needs. This would create a services on-demand environment
for
users, an avenue being explored by most computing giants, including IBM and HP .
Ronald Schmelzer, whose research firm ZapThink studies the XML and Web
services market, said Cisco wants to take a closer look at the content
of
the messages themselves, rather than just data about where the messages
are
going or where they came from. By inspecting the message traffic, Cisco
can
become much smarter or aware about what that traffic is doing.
For example, if Cisco sees that a message is a Web services
a
purchasing service, it can automatically route, apply security and add
constraints to that message. If it’s an XML document for a Web site,
the device would apply some transformation and logging to that message.
The bottom line is that such technology, known as application-oriented
networking, improves the efficiency of XML-based messages and
ultimately,
the performance of Web services, which ZapThink said will be a
multi-billion
industry over the next five years.
Joining a Crowded Market
By creating a box with software that accelerates and secures the
performance
of XML messages, Cisco is entering
a market populated by the likes of DataPower and Reactivity.
DataPower CTO Eugene Kuznetsov said he’s not surprised Cisco is moving
into
his backyard. The engineer said the networking market for gear such as
IP
and Ethernet switches, where Cisco, Juniper and Nortel Networks
compete, is
all but tapped out, leaving little room for those multi-billion
companies to
incur strong, vibrant revenue streams.
This means they have to tap other markets to make money. With the
emphasis
on combating clunky XML traffic at a time when interest in Web services
is
climbing, the market for boosting XML messaging would be a
logical progression.
“Companies spend billions each year on integration software,” Kuznetsov
said. “Those dollars are going to IBM, Microsoft and BEA so Cisco’s
entrance
into the market is definitely a threat to those companies. If someone
is
going to take $5 billion worth of IBM middleware and replace it with a
$1
million worth of Cisco networking gear, that’s a problem for IBM or any
other software company. These things are happening in a big way.”
Citing an example of his own company, Kuznetsov said one of DataPower’s
banking customer replaced between $7 million and $8 million in middleware from Sun
Microsystems with about $500,000 worth of DataPower hardware.
There is plenty of business to go around, Kuznetsov said, noting there is
little
reason to fear that Cisco will eat DataPower’s lunch. Also, he argued
that
DataPower is years ahead of where Cisco would be when it enters the
market.
“Part of the reason were not worried about Cisco getting into this
space is
that we have such a big lead in terms of customers and products,” said
Kuznetsov, whose company was has been in the market since 1999. “We
have the
opportunity to let others do this.”
Reactivity CTO Andrew Nash agreed.
for
big guys like Cisco to get into,” Nash said.
Hungry for More?
One would think that given Cisco’s penchant for scooping up new
companies to
acquire new technologies and revenue streams would be cause for concern
for
DataPower or Reactivity. If it has instilled fear in those outfits,
their
executives are not showing it.
Kuznetsov declined to comment on DataPower’s relationship with Cisco
other
than to confirm the companies have discussions. Nash said Cisco and
Reactivity are partners and that he’s heard Cisco is going to jump into
the
Web services deployment world with its own technology. Analysts say it
depends on what the Cisco appliance can do.
“Clearly, Cisco is going to be a challenger for many of the firms that
have
XML appliances in the market,” said Schmelzer. “However, it’s not
entirely
clear what features the AONs box will have and how they will enter the
market, or when for that matter. So, we’ll have to reserve judgment on
its
capabilities and impact on the market until it comes out.”
Kuznetsov and Nash agreed.
“If all you do is routing, you are not able to replace the software in
the
middleware stack,” Kuznetsov said. You have to do the transformation
and
integration pieces, too.”
“People are used to thinking about application and network layers,”
Nash
said. “They’re only just beginning to appreciate that there is a layer
in
the middle that deals with Web services, service-oriented architectures
and
highly decoupled systems that you need to have auditing and security
and
control over.”
