The rules have changed

Computer Associates International Inc. has released a new version of a tool

that allows organizations to modify the business rules and regulations that

underlie their key business applications.

Aion 9.0, now generally available, is designed to enable organizations

to change how their applications work as business requirements change.

For example, the product is already being used at the Immigration and

Naturalization Service to modify forms- processing applications as changes

occur in citizen eligibility requirements, and at the Defense Department

to adapt applications as rules change regarding health care fraud detection.

As part of the new release, CA has added a World Wide Web interface

option to Aion's existing client/server product, making it easier to distribute

the software's e-business rules-control features to authorized managers

via intranets. Both the browser and desktop client interfaces are highly

graphical, intended for use by nontechnical staff.

By putting that ability in the hands of the knowledge workers who deal

with the rules every day, Aion 9.0 gives government organizations the ability

to re-engineer business processes and implement new e-business models for

their budgets, procurement processes and other applications, said Carl Hartman,

vice president of e-business management at CA.

"The knowledge workers know the rules, and now these are the folks who

have the power to do it themselves," Hartman said. "These users understand

the processes and are doing it.... [Those] with knowledge of these processes

should own their own destiny."

Other Aion 9.0 enhancements include: flexible decision tables to simplify

the creation of business rules involving multiple limitations, improved

rule change management and editing, and simplified remote deployment for

multilocation intranets.

Commercial pricing for Aion 9.0 starts at more than $50,000, but the

product will be available soon on the General Services Administration schedule

for less, Hartman said.