Macromedia Tuesday released ColdFusion MX 6.1. This latest version of the product is more “simple, solid, and fast” than previous releases, Dan Murphy, product marketing manager for ColdFusion told ServerWatch.
It also consolidates the three editions into two. Previous versions of ColdFusion MX Professional upgrade to ColdFusion MX Standard 6.1; ColdFusion MX Enterprise and the four ColdFusion MX J2EE editions upgrade to ColdFusion MX Enterprise 6.1.
Like the former J2EE editions, the new Enterprise edition is certified and optimized for Macromedia’s own JRun (which comes bundled with the Enterprise edition), IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic, and Sun ONE application servers. Enterprises can deploy on their app server of choice and switch to another of the four at any time without purchasing a different iteration of ColdFusion, Murphy said.
ColdFusion MX Enterprise can also be deployed as a stand-alone server.
The Enterprise edition is designed for enterprises delivering advanced applications that require with high performance, security, and reliability. Because of the software’s interoperability, Macromedia believes enterprises can more easily integrate ColdFusion with their chosen environment while increasing security and reliability by isolating applications in separate instances of ColdFusion running on a single server.
The Standard edition meanwhile has its eye on the other end of the spectrum. It is being positioned as an entry-level solution and is targeted toward organizations building basic Web sites and small to midsize applications.
Both editions of ColdFusion MX 6.1 offer increased backward compatibility in the form of a simple migration wizard for enterprises looking to make the jump from ColdFusion 4.5.
The new release also adds support for a variety of operating systems: IBM AIX, Red Hat 7 and 8, Solaris 9, and Windows Server 2003.
Other enhancements in ColdFusion MX 6.1 include modifications to dynamic e-mail generation that enable users to deliver messages more than 50 times faster than previous releases, improved installation and configuration tools, and bundled installation support that provides direct access to technical assistance.
Macromedia claims performance benchmarks of ColdFusion MX 6.1 that demonstrate runtime improvements of up to 172 percent over ColdFusion 5.
Enterprises that have already taken a seat on the ColdFusion MX 6.1 train include the UCLA School of Theater, Film, & Television; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; eBay; and Casio.
Macromedia ColdFusion MX 6.1 is available for immediate purchase from the Macromedia Online Store. Current ColdFusion MX customers can upgrade for free.
ColdFusion MX Standard 6.1 is priced at $1,299 per server; upgrades from ColdFusion 4.5 and 5 are $649 per server. ColdFusion MX Enterprise 6.1 is priced at $5,999 per two processors; upgrades from ColdFusion 4.5 and 5 are $2,999 per two processors.
ColdFusion MX Enterprise comes bundled with a deployment edition of JRun.
