IBM Enables Web 2.0 in Business
By Rozana Sani
IBM is planning to release its Web 2.0-savvy portal software WebSphere version 6.1 by monthend that will enable enterprises to leverage on user- contributed and manipulated content and applications popular on the Internet such as social networking.
“IBM believes such applications will be increasingly important to businesses, which is why it is hyping up Web 2.0 in WebSphere version 6.1. WebSphere is a portal technology that allows companies to create internal and external Web sites and add applications,” said IBM Software Group’s director, global portal and Web interaction software Pam Chandor at the recent LotusSphere Summit in Phuket, Thailand.
By product launch time, IBM will come out with accelerators for specific industries such as healthcare, government and banking, combining tools and services to speed up Websphere deployments for end users.
“We are also making available IBM Mashup Center in WebSphere. This feature breaks new ground in ease of use and speed at which business users can solve everyday business problems in any-size enterprise,” Chandor said.
Mashup Center includes an intuitive browser-based tool to easily assemble new mashups, allowing non-technical users – anyone in a business – to literally drag and drop mashup components from personal, enterprise and Web sources to easily create, deploy and share customised Web applications in minutes.
“Mashup Center aims to provide end users with tools to help them easily combine apps to find information faster. A sales rep, for example, can click on a customer’s address and a map with directions will appear, or he can click on a customer and a business card will pop up,” Chandor explained.
To date, over 4,000 users have downloaded WebSphere version 6.1 in its beta stage. With the upcoming release of this software, IBM is confident of keeping its lead in the US$1 billion (RM3.3 billion) portal software market.
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