As some 4,000 developers from 42 countries gather in San Francisco this week for IBMs annual technical developer conference, developerWorks Live, they will hear a lot about IBMs view on open standards-based integration.
“Whether were talking about WebSphere or data management or Lotus or Tivoli or any other implementation, our focus is on open–across all our products and initiatives, from Linux to grid computing to Project eLiza and autonomic computing,” Bob Timpson, the general manager of IBM developer relations, told eWEEK in an interview.
The conference will kick off today with a keynote by Steve Mills, a senior vice president and group executive of IBMs software group, who is expected to talk about the need for integration across multiple platforms in the enterprise world in which we live, Timpson said.
“Suns Solaris is not going away, Linux is not going away, Microsoft Windows NT and HPs Unix offerings are here to stay, so the only way any ISV and company can confront that reality is to realize that existing infrastructures cannot all be totally ripped and replaced. The way forward is clearly through open standards and open integration,” he said.
To this end, IBM will be making some 30 announcements around its WebSphere platform, including the announcement of WebSphere Version 5, the next generation of e-business infrastructure software.
Other related announcements will focus on WebShere MQ Event Broker, WebSphere Integrator, WebShere Broker and WebSphere Business Integration, to name just a few, Timpson said.
“In order to have a robust, implementable industrial-strength J2EE and Java world we need all kinds of tools, system management utilities, ease-of-use and infrastructure utilities. While none of these announcements are sexy by themselves, when they are all added together they reflect the significant filling out of the WebSphere infrastructure,” he said.
Other conference announcements will include the launch of Lotus Developer Domain on IBMs news resource, developerWorks, a new Tivoli security management tool set and three new strategic alliances with partners offering solutions in the food service area, wireless arena and software project portfolio management sector.
Big Blue will also be talking about its Xperanto project, which deals with XML-based open interchange in the data management world, Timpson said.
In addition, IBM will announce an initiative for emerging technology developers, which includes support for new companies in the Linux space. “Were announcing a Fast Start program for Linux on the Web to help small companies get started quickly with packaged downloads and education in the Linux area.
“Were essentially extending to early-stage companies benefits that we would ordinarily provide to more mature companies, including concierge service and access, without charge, to our porting and enablement centers around the world.
“We will also be offering discounts and incentives to help some startups get off the ground, giving them access to technical support over the Web and per telephone as well as some go-to-market support for those companies with leadership products that the market needs and we are willing to back,” Timpson said.
