New Products

SYNCHRONIX has released Ecopad, telecommunication optimization software that increases the efficiency of transmitting data over Unix local and wide area networks. Ecopad handles data locally and eliminates most of the "echo" frames required in conventional systems. Only the differences between successive screen images are transmitted over the network rather than entire displays. Transmission volumes are also lowered through selective data compression performed on the fly. During work sessions, Ecopad identifies and memorizes frequently used screen displays, sending a single command code to display these screens locally. Ecopad has increased network performance two to five times, with display speed increases of three to eight times, and reductions in telecommunications volume by as much as 75%.

Ecopad is independent of applications, equipment, network configurations, and protocol, and operates on all types of network, including: X.25, Frame Relay, ATM, cellular phone, ISDN, leased lines, LAN, and Internet/Intranet. Two modules are used: a server module installed in the server or on a front-end communications computer, and a client module on PCs running under MS-DOS, Windows 95 or NT, or other Unix machines.

For more information, contact SYNCHRONIX, Avenue des Andes, Bat. "Le Cedre," 91952 Les Ulis Cedex, France; (33.1) 64 46 26 26; Fax: (33.1) 64 46 69 67; Internet: laure@synx.com.

Blueberry Extends File Format Conversion Software

Blueberry Software has announced additions to its file format conversion software for UNIX, Windows, and DOS computers. Filtrix-UNIX, Filtrix for Windows, and Filtrix-DOS allow users to import 24 different word processing formats, and export documents in 15 different formats. The Windows platforms are all new with this release.

Filtrix 3.4 now filters bidirectionally between Word for Windows 2, 6, and 7, WordPerfect 6, Applix Words 4, and all other Filtrix-suported formats, such as FrameMaker, Interleaf, and many word processing formats, including graphics and tables, headers and footers, autonumbers, footnotes, and other features, depending on features available within the formats used.

For UNIX users, Filtrix 3.4 adds export into IslandWrite 4. Filtrix-UNIX is available for Sun (Solaris and SunOS), HP, IBM RS/6000, and DEC Alpha. Sample modules are available for download from http://www.blueberry.com. Filtrix pricing depends on platform and fixed versus floating point licenses and ranges from $995 to $289 for Windows or DOS versions. For information, contact: Blueberry Software, 260 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 95472-4222; (707) 829-5443; Fax: (707) 829-5380; Internet: info@blueberry.com.

Nortel Secure Networks Ships Entrust Scalable Security Software

The Secure Networks group of Northern Telecom (Nortel) has begun shipping a new version of its Entrust data security software, which includes support for Macintosh and UNIX operating systems. The group also announced that Entrust now offers two exportable products that combine with the existing domestic product to facilitate secure document sharing throughout an organization regardless of location.

Entrust is a cross-platform public key infrastructure product that scales to tens of thousands of users. Additionally, the software can be used internationally. These developments are important components of Secure NetworkP2's strategy to provide enterprisewide encryption and digital signature capabilities for client/server applications. In addition to Windows 3.1, Entrust runs on Macintosh System 7.1 and 7.5, and HP-UX 9.03, SunOs 4.1.3, and Solaris 2.4. The exportable products, Entrust International and Entrust International Finance, interoperate with the domestic product providing transparent access for users. Both exportable products are available on all the operating systems supported by Entrust.

Entrust's newest version is available from Nortel and various resellers. Entrust is priced at $159 per user license. For more information, contact Nortel Secure Networks at (613) 765-5607.

Enterprise Systems Management Announces UNameIt 2.0

Enterprise Systems Management (ESM) has announced, UNameIt version 2.0, an intranet management product. UNameIt provides a single point of change for a corporate intranet, helping to maintain configuration consistency. UNameIt models the various intranet resources - such as networks, services, and users - as independent entities, but also models the relationships between resources. New in version 2.0 is the ability to extend the underlying schema through the same graphical user interface used in normal operation. Schema extensibility enables users to include new fields, new classes, even new error messages in the data model maintained by UNameIt. Users can now customize the product to suit their environments.

Version 2.0 also provides support for multiple top-level domains and an easier-to-user, more intuitive GUI. Multiple top-level domain support enables companies undergoing mergers or acquisitions to bring information about other organizations under management immediately. The new GUI runs under Motif/CDE and supports schema extensibility, name completion, and a preview window. The preview window provides a simple English-language summary of pending changes, allowing users to inspect planned transactions before committing them permanently into the repository. Additionally, security features have been enhanced in this release. Allocation of privileges has been made more effective.

UNameIt manages the directory (or name) services at the heart of the intranet, layered above existing services such as NIS or DNS. UNameIt scales easily to manage tens of thousands of users and other resources. For sites with up to 1,000 hosts and 500 users, the basic license is $25,000. Each additional 500 users costs $12,500 and each additional 1000 hosts also costs $12,500. For more information, contact Enterprise Systems Management Corporation, 14742 Newport Avenue, Suite 207, Tustin, California 92680; (714) 505-7686; Fax: (714) 505-7690; Internet: info@esm.com; WWW: http://www.esm.com.

New Dimension Software Announces WebShout

New Dimension Software has announced WebShout, an option for the company's CONTROL-O/PC automated systems operations solution that includes an Internet-based interface and allows users to remotely access systems alerts generated throughout the enterprise. CONTROL-O/PC's WebShout option extends the company's Enterprise Production Management solution by forwarding availability and production exceptions to IT personnel over the organization's Intranet.

The new WebShout option is the first in a series of Internet-based automated operations technologies under development at New Dimension Software. The company is introducing CONTROL-D Internet Server, a Windows NT-based report viewing solution, enabling users to download and manipulate reports generated on MVS, UNIX, Windows NT, and other production platforms to Windows NT Web server for viewing, storage, printing, and modification using standard Web browser software. The introduction of these products marks New Dimension Software's entrance into the Web-based system management market, as well as New Dimension Software's commitment to the Internet as an enduring platform for the enterprise.

CONTROL-O/PC with the WebShout option is available immediately from New Dimension Software, with prices starting at $23,650. CONTROL-O/PC provides a consolidated point of management, automation, and control for multi-platform environments. With the WebShout option, users can manage their systems remotely using any Internet-enabled PC and standard Web browser software, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer. The combined solution is compatible with Web-authoring technologies such as HTML, Java, and ActiveX. With the WebShout option, CONTROL-O/PC can be configured to automatically build Web pages for displaying systems alerts and dynamically updating these pages as new alerts are generated.

For more information, contact New Dimension Software, One Park Plaza, 11th Floor, Irvine, CA 92614; (714) 757-4300; Fax: (714) 756-3900; WWW: http://www.ndsoft.com.

Angoss Software Releases KnowledgeSEEKER IV

Angoss Software International Ltd. has announced KnowledgeSEEKER IV version 4.2. The program uses a cross-referencing process to search for cause and effect relationships from data. KnowledgeSEEKER IV automates a process of "discovering" significant relationships, patterns, and correlations in data. KnowledgeSEEKER imports data from spreadsheets, such as Excel, Lotus, and Quattro Pro, as well as from relational databases such as dBase and Paradox, either directly or via ODBC. KnowledgeSEEKER can also import delimited and tabular ASCII, and SAS and SPSS portable file formats. Users can choose to examine continuous data (such as financial amounts) or categorical data (male or female, high or low) within a single analysis. The program can handle up to 1,000 discrete (unordered) categories, as well as up to 4,000 ordered categories and an unlimited number of continuous numeric codes.

KnowledgeSEEKER IV runs on a variety of UNIX platforms, including HP-UX, Solaris, AIX, SCO, MP-RAS, IRIX, Sinix, LINUX, Dynix/PTX, and Digital UNIX, as well as on Windows 3.1, 95, and NT. For more information, contact Angoss Software International Ltd., 430 King Street West, Suite 201, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 1L5; (416) 593-1122; Fax: (416) 593-5077; WWW: http://www.angoss.com.

American International Introduces Tape Storage System

American International Business Technologies, Inc. has introduced its Golden Gate family of tape storage products. The product family offers concurrent tape operation on UNIX/Open System platforms, such as HP9000, Sun, SGI, AS/400, RS/6000, as well as Intel-based LAN servers using standard SCSI adapters. The Golden Gate line includes Exabyte Mammoth drives, as well as the Philips 36x0, Quantum DLT*4000, and the Quantum 4700 Auto Cartridge Loader (ACL), which range in capacity from 14 Gb and 1 Mb/sec to 280 Gb and 6 Mb/sec. Golden Gate products allow the peripherals to be shared between two heterogeneous host computers, performing backups on two different computers at the same time. One new feature of the Golden Gate products is the ability to attach to the 6501 feature card on the IBM AS/400 systems, allowing higher throughput. The OPEN Systems support various storage management software systems, including: Cheyenne Arcserve, Legato Networker, Seagate Software Backup Exec, and Novastar Novaback.

Golden Gate is available in two- and three-drive tape subsystems using a combination of 8mm, Mammoth, and DLT tape drives. When tow devices (drives or cartridge loaders) are used, Golden Gate can assign one drive to each port and operate all ports and devices simultaneously. For more information, contact American International, 5520 Westlawn Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90066; (310) 305-8161; Fax: (310) 305-7965; WWW: http://www.ai-inc.com.

XDB Releases JetConnect

XDB Systems, Inc. has released JetConnect, a fully featured data connectivity solution for Java including both ODBC and JDBC standards and application and applet support. JetConnect augments the Java programming language with vendor-independent database connectivity that enables transaction-oriented access to corporate data stores from Internet/intranet applications. JetConnect provides a DBMS-independent solution for database access from Java applications, providing access between Java and any DBMS that supports the ODBC standard for database connectivity. Additionally, JetConnect includes class libraries that provide a high-level database programming interface and a set of database-aware GUI controls.

JetConnect allows developers to choose and switch between JetConnect's ODBC interface and Sun's JDBC interface. The higher level tools provided with JetConnect can function using either interface. Developers who prefer the JDBC interface can target data sources supporting JDBC drivers, or they can use XDB's driver manager to access ODBC data sources using the JDBC interface. In either case, the Java application software is the same.

JetConnect maintains persistent connections between the client application and the database, and avoids potential performance and resource usage problems of Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts normally used to build Internet database applications. JetConnect further improves Web server performance by eliminating the need for multiple CGI programs to run concurrently for each active request.

JetConnect provides ODBC functionality to applets as well. From a developer's perspective, the only difference is that a URL or TCP/IP address must be provided to identify the JetConnect Driver.

XDB Systems has also announced JetAssist, a wizard-style point-and-click application builder for working with JetConnect to build Java database applications.

JetConnect, for up to five concurrent users, may be downloaded from the Web free of charge. For additional users, pricing begins at $2,500. JetConnect is available for HP/UX, Solaris, Windows 95 and NT, with a port to AIX in process. For additional information, contact XDB Systems, Inc., 9861 Broken Land Parkway, Columbia, MD 21046; (410) 312-9300; Fax: (410) 312-9505; Internet: connieh@xdb.com; WWW: http://www.xdb.com/jet.

Quadritek Systems Extends Quadritek IP Management System (QIP)

Quadritek Systems, Inc. has announced that its Quadritek IP Management System (QIP) for centralized management of multi-platform intranets has added support for Windows NT in addition to standard UNIX platforms. The QIP Enterprise Architecture (QEA) provides an enterprise-wide approach integrating management information server-to-server throughout an organization, supporting synchronized network services and centralized intranet control.

QEA provides cross-platform operation across UNIX and NT systems, with support for TCP/IP compliant routers and switches. QEA also provides an enterprise IP knowledge base, allowing administrators to create and maintain a central data warehouse on the main enterprise server, with all data (such as moves, adds, changes, and IP address updates) downloaded automatically to all enterprise servers. APIs provide integration of network management tools, such as Cambio Networks' Command tools and HP Openview.

For more information, contact Quadritek Systems, Inc., 10 Valley Stream Parkway, Suite 240, Malvern, PA, 19935; (800) 408-2747; Fax: (610) 725-8559; Internet: info@quadritek.com; WWW: http://www.quadritek.com.

SystemWatch Adds DEC Alpha Support

SCH Technologies has extended its system management tool, SystemWatch, incorporating support for DEC Alpha platforms in addition to SUN, HP, and IBM systems. SystemWatch supports essential system management needs, such as managing disk space, memory, SWAP space, CPU utilization, host availability, database performance/availability, system/application processes, and system logs. SystemWatch provides event management, allowing it to take corrective actions without administrator intervention. Predefined rules allow SystemWatch to take specific steps when a problem is detected. A command or script can be executed on hundreds of systems as required. In addition to a library of predefined actions, system administrators can define site-specific actions. SystemWatch uses expert system technology and monitors factors such as time-of-day, userid, and affected systems. SystemWatch can "learn" which alert conditions are commonly dismissed by an operator and adjust the reporting interval.

SystemWatch pricing begins at $695, including one year of maintenance. Windows NT and SGI ports are planned for release, in addition to the DEC, SUN, HP, and IBM platforms. For more information, contact SCH Technologies, 895 Central Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202-1961; (513) 579-0455; Fax: (513) 579-1064; Internet: info@sch.com; WWW: http://www.sch.com.

LAZER LINK III Extends SCSI Networks

APCON, Inc. has announced LAZER LINK III, Model ACI-2004, enabling differential SCSI devices to be located up to 6000 feet (2 km) from the host computer. LAZER LINK III is a fully transparent SCSI Fiber Optic bus extender. LAZER LINK III can support the use of scanners or printers in secure central locations, extending the standard 25-meter limitation of a differential SCSI bus. LAZER LINK III supports Fast SCSI data rates of 10 Mb/sec and is "transparent" to the user, supporting combinations of asynchronous and synchronous SCSI devices. No additional software is needed.

The LAZER LINK III, Model ACI-2004, external unit costs $1925, complete with 110/220 VAX input, UL, CSA, and TUV certification. Lower cost board versions are available for internal system integration. For more information, contact APCON, Inc., 17938 SW Boones Ferry Road, Portland, OR 97224; (503) 639-6700; Fax: (503) 639-6740; Internet: info@apcon.com.