DBMS Client/Server Connection

December 1996

By Clara Parkes

What's the Rationale

I never thought I'd see the day when Microsoft Corp. (Redmond, Wash.) sold a piece of its technology to another company, but it finally happened. Microsoft sold its Visual Test technology to Rational Software Corp. (Santa Clara, Calif.). In a press conference explaining the move, Microsoft's VP of Developer Tools Bob Muglia stated that the testing tools marketplace was mature and Microsoft was busy with Internet/Intranet projects, Visual Basic, and Visual C++; Microsoft is now searching, he said, for a company that would take over and grow its Visual Test technology. Such an explanation would make sense coming from a small, financially strapped startup -- but this is Microsoft we're talking about.

Perhaps the second part of the announcement can help provide an answer. Microsoft and Rational also entered into an agreement to develop and market enterprise development tools jointly. The two companies have already been in development for a year, and Microsoft plans to ship initial expanded versions of its products, reflecting the Rational agreement, early in 1997. The first products to be affected by the agreement are Visual Basic and Visual C++, followed later by Viper. The expanded product releases will include a somewhat scaled-down version of Rational's flagship product (Rational Rose, a modeling tool) that is appropriate for Microsoft development tools customers. Because Microsoft doesn't want to overwhelm its users, it will tier the product appropriately. On a broader scale, this integration means that modeling capabilities will be introduced to a much wider, more mainstream audience than the modeling marketplace currently has, and it will enable Windows users to develop more complex, enterprisewide applications. Contact Rational Software Corp., 408-496-3600 or fax 408-496-3636; http://www.rational.com.

A New Alliance

Microsoft also generated press with its recent foray into the data warehousing market. The company formed the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing with founding members Business Objects Inc., ExecuSoft Systems Inc., Informatica Corp., NCR Corp., Pilot Software Inc. (a division of Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Platinum Technology Inc., Praxis International Inc., and SAP AG. The alliance members will work with Microsoft to increase the use of Microsoft SQL Server as a data warehousing solution. The group will also work with Microsoft to define the Microsoft Active Data Warehousing Framework, a set of extensible, COM-based interfaces designed to simplify integration and management of data warehousing solutions. Contact Microsoft Corp., 206-882-8080 or fax 206-936-7329; http://www.microsoft.com.

Unlawfully Wed

Arbor Corp. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) filed a lawsuit against Comshare Inc. (Ann Arbor, Mich.), a company that has distributed Arbor's products since early 1994. Alleging that Comshare committed acts of fraud and breach of contract, Arbor requests damages and fees and seeks injunctive relief preventing Comshare from future distribution of Arbor's products, especially its flagship product Essbase. Arbor claims that Comshare has systematically underpaid or failed to report royalties due under the agreement.

In response to the lawsuit, Comshare issued a statement insisting that it maintains the right to sell and support Arbor's Essbase along with its own value-added applications. Comshare acknowledges that the two companies have been having a disagreement in regard to royalty payments, but Comshare Senior VP and CFO Kathryn Jehle says, "Businesses ought to be able to argue about contract issues without accusing each other of fraud when they disagree." She also adds, "We believe Arbor's unfounded claims of fraud were made recklessly in a bold attempt to gain unfair advantage. We will fight those claims vigorously." Contact Arbor Software Corp., 800-858-1666, 408-727-5800, or fax 408-727-7140; http://www.arborsoft.com; or Comshare Inc., 800-922-7979, 313-994-4800, or fax 313-769-6943; http://www.comshare.com.

Running on Time

On a happier note, Informix Software Inc. (Menlo Park, Calif.) shipped the Informix-Universal Server developers' release on schedule. The developers' release (read "beta") is being shipped to key customers and DataBlade development partners who will develop and test a range of applications and DataBlade modules running against Informix-Universal Server. Informix also announced a new version of the DataBlade Developers Kit. Version 3.1 of the kit generates Informix-Universal Server code and allows existing DataBlade modules written for the Illustra Server to be modified to run on the Informix-Universal Server. Contact Informix Software Inc., 800-331-1763, 415-926-6300, or fax 415-926-6593; http://www.informix.com.

New Faces

There have been several recent high-profile staffing changes in the industry. Visix Software Inc. (Reston, Va.) appointed Gene Bedell as its president and CEO. Some of you may remember Bedell as the founder, president, and CEO of Seer Technologies Inc. Contact Visix Software Inc., 703-758-8230 or fax 703-758-0233; http://www.visix.com . Meanwhile, Nat Systems (McLean, Va.) snagged Daniel Eilers, former senior VP of worldwide marketing and customer solutions at Apple Computer Inc., as its new president and CEO. With this move, Nat Systems will also establish facilities in Silicon Valley; the company hopes to move its corporate headquarters there in 1997. Contact Nat Systems, 708-760-0900 or fax 703-760-9810; http://www.natsys.com . Intersolv Inc. (Rockville, Md.) promoted Gary G. Greenfield to the position of president and CEO. Greenfield joined Intersolv in 1987 as VP of marketing and has held senior leadership roles in several different areas of the company's operations. Contact Intersolv Inc., 800-547-4000, 301-838-5000, or fax 301-231-7813; http://www.intersolv.com.

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Updated Monday, November 18, 1996