Oracle Set to Refresh Key Software Packages

Oracle is preparing to introduce the next major versions of its application
server, developer tools and identity management software next week.

The company, which recently closed
its purchase of Siebel Systems, will roll out the third incarnations of its
Application Server 10g, JDeveloper 10g and Identity Management 10g suites.

All three suites are crucial components for the company’s integrated Fusion
Middleware platform for providing customers service-oriented architectures
(SOA) .

SOAs are distributed computing platforms that reuse assets and assist in
integrating data from disparate sources. Application Server 10g and
JDeveloper 10g are the base stacks for Fusion Middleware.

The latest releases of Application Server 10g and JDeveloper 10g include
tools to help customers more easily integrate applications and data, make
Web development easier and orchestrate business processes, said Ted Farrell,
chief architect and vice president at Oracle.

The products also include improved Web services
support, as well as kits for AJAX, JavaServer Faces and Enterprise Java
Beans (EJB), all popular programming tools used to improve peoples’ Internet
experiences.

For example, the new software includes native AJAX support to help create
interactive Web applications. The release also includes a business rules
engine that customers can use to change business rules without having their
programmers rewrite applications, Farrell said.

Following a tack BEA Systems took with its products, Oracle Application
Server 10g works with open source software, including Spring, Apache Struts,
Apache Axis, Apache MyFaces, Hibernate, Tapestry, JUnit, SubVersion, Ant,
Eclipse and Log4J.

Run-time environments and developer tools are great, but such Web tools need
to be deployed with security.

Oracle, fresh off integrating the last of its security-oriented software
buys of Thor Technologies and OctetString, will unveil the third major
version of its Identity Management 10g suite at the RSA Security conference
in San Jose, Calif., next week.

New automation features in Oracle Xellerate Identity Provisioning help
businesses capture users’ past and present access privileges and execute
corrective actions to meet compliance demands. Xellerate’s new automation
utilities help customers conduct faster audits.

Oracle COREid Access and Identity can now provide single sign-on services to
Xellerate Identity Provisioning. Oracle’s Virtual Directory is certified
with its Internet Directory and COREid Access and Identity. Also, Xellerate
Identity Provisioning is certified on Application Server 10g.

Oracle Identity Management 10g release 3 will be available by the end of
2006.

The company also plans to launch a partner initiative, in which vendors with
similar security and identity management interests will work with Oracle on
getting joint solutions to market.