IBM enhances its plan for customers and development partners to validate their products against IBM Rational tools.ORLANDO, Fla.—IBM has announced the expansion of its Ready for Rational Software program to enable IBM developers, customers and business partners to create and validate their applications on the Rational Software Development Platform.
Danny Sabbah, general manager of IBM Rational, said IBM business partners participating in the Ready for Rational program can now validate applications that support IBM Rational ClearCase, IBM Rational ClearQuest and IBM Rational RequisitePro. Products validated under the program will feature the Ready for IBM Rational logo to show their compliance. There are currently more than 50 validated business partner solutions, Sabbah said at the IBM Rational Software Development Conference here.
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In essence, the Ready for IBM Rational Software program validates that integrations between IBM Business Partner products and Rational products meet IBMs requirements for interoperability and user experience, Sabbah said
Moreover, "The expansion of the program allows even more partners to take advantage of IBMs industry-leading software development platform, while at the same time offering customers more choice and flexibility," said Michael Loria, vice president of business development, Rational Software, IBM, in a statement.
At the conference, IBM announced a slew of new and upgraded products in its new development tools platform, IBM Rational Release 7, Team Products. And already several IBM Business Partners have received Ready for IBM Rational Software validation for applications integrated with the new suite.
In the integrated test management arena, Akimbi Systems Slingshot Virtual Lab Automation System has been validated as Ready for IBM Rational. The Akimbi technology enables Rational ClearQuest to deploy and access virtual test configurations. Meanwhile, Ring-Zero Softwares Test Execution Adapter for Mercury software makes Mercury Interactives tests accessible to Rational ClearQuest users, the company said.
Akimbi Slingshot enables users to reduce test setup time by 40 percent or more, as well as instantly capture and reproduce software defects, the company said. This helps to streamline processes across globally distributed application development and test organizations, officials said.
"IBM helps customers govern their software development environments to accelerate global software delivery," IBMs Loria said. "The integration between Akimbi Slingshot and Rational ClearQuest amplifies one of the key benefits of our Team products–supporting geographically distributed development teams, allowing our customers to customize their test management workflows."
"Akimbi Slingshot and IBM Rational Release 7, Team Products combine to empower globally distributed teams by addressing a set of challenges that have historically combined to impede distributed team success," said James Phillips, CEO of Akimbi Systems, in a statement. "By pooling and sharing lab resources, our customers are able to capture and redeploy live defect-state test configurations."
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In the compliance management arena, Black Duck Softwares ProtexIP suite of products also has been validated as Ready for IBM Rational. ProtexIP integrates with Rational ClearCase to scan all the source code in a project for appropriate use of open source and third-party intellectual property, and reports status and metrics, the company said.
Meanwhile, SPI Dynamics has integrated its QAInspect with the Rational ClearQuest test management feature to allow users to configure and execute automated security testing, and manage a central repository for security defects.
In the requirements management space, iRises iRise Studio and Ravenflows Raven Professional have been validated as Ready for Rational. iRise Studio enables business analysts to quickly and easily create simulations of Web applications to define requirements. Raven Professionals integration with Rational RequisitePro and Rational Method Composer allows teams to detect and correct requirements errors before coding begins, and to deliver precise requirements to developers.
In addition, Parametric Technologys WindChill has been validated as Ready for IBM Rational. WindChills integration with Rational ClearCase enables users to synchronize software development with mechanical and electrical design data. It also helps manage collaboration between software development teams and other groups in the systems product development process, the company said.
Other IBM Rational Business Partners demonstrating at the Rational Software Development Conference include Amazon Web Services, Catalyst Systems, Galorath, Identify Software and LogicLibrary.
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