the Pipeline

So happy together

Collaboration is getting easier with new technology tools that facilitate the sharing of work, even across great distances. It's possible to work alongside colleagues who are on the other side of the country, with the added advantage of not having to put up with their strange mannerisms or odd working hours.

Groove Networks Inc. officials have launched Virtual Office 3.0, which includes new support for public-key infrastructure security.

Virtual Office allows agency employees to set up a shared work space where they can access documents from colleagues at other locations as soon as they are filed.

Key enhancements in Version 3.0 are the inclusion of a launch bar to allow a quick view of and access to shared work spaces, as well as tools for rapidly creating forms and applications specific to business processes. It features folder synchronization to securely share files and a system to let users know when specific people come online, enter a designated work space or perform certain activities.

Siemens AG officials have released HiPath OpenScape 2.0, a collaboration Web portal that delivers lower conferencing costs, simplified workflows and streamlined interaction, according to company officials. The Web-based system delivers data via a variety of devices, including telephone and e-mail.

The new version includes a "Tell Me When" feature that notifies users when contacts become available. A new hands-free interface uses speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities.

OpenScape also comes with a software developer's tool kit.

Content to manage

FileNet Corp. officials have released a new content management system called FileNet P8 3.0, which is the newest update to the P8 architecture. The offering integrates content, process and connectivity, and is designed to support the extensive range of processes and content needed to support decision-making.

P8 3.0 is not a single product but instead an integrated framework combining best-of-breed capabilities. Users can develop customized enterprise content management applications.

P8 3.0 enables customers to spread business process management (BPM) capabilities throughout the product functionality, including content management, image management, team collaboration,

forms management, records management and Web content management.

Expert Choice Inc. officials have released EC11, the latest version of the company's enterprise portfolio analysis software. Also new from the company is EC Decision Portal, a hosted solution that enables round-the-clock prioritization of project portfolios via the Web.

Expert Choice's products are based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process, a mathematical model that controls decision-making methodologies. EC11 allows officials to define, prioritize and align project portfolios with overall strategic objectives. It guides users through a process of defining objectives, determining priorities for the objectives, evaluating projects and running tests of hypothetical scenarios on them.

EC11 has several new features. Its data interchange mapping functionality is now integrated with Microsoft Corp. Access and SQL. It also offers the ability to open multiple models simultaneously and drag and drop data among them.

HandySoft Global Corp. officials have launched Version 9 of the BizFlow BPM platform.

With BizFlow 9, government officials can monitor events, quickly alter processes in response to real-time changes, and identify and prioritize activities that need improvement, according to company officials. The system's analysis capabilities provide a systematic approach to defining optimal performance and thereby reduce risks associated with process improvement.

New features include a process simulator, which allows users to change the conditions that affect processes, such as deadlines or resources, and see the changes' impact.

It also offers custom report generation and support for business activity monitoring and real-time response.

"Up until now, government executives have been forced to look in the rearview mirror and apply static, reactive technologies to address problems as they arise," said Daryn Walters, vice president of worldwide marketing and strategy at HandySoft Global.

The new technologies enable executives to base their decisions on facts and real-time information "instead of guesswork," he said.

File under 'misc.'

MobileAccess Networks Inc. is now shipping the MobileAccess MA-850 Intelligent RF Switching Hub, a component of wireless networks installed in buildings. The system uses passive broadband antennas for the signal coverage, allowing the access points to be bunched together in a secure closet. Unlike a conventional wireless setup, the access points provide only the bandwidth capacity, not signals.

Foundstone Inc. officials have released Foundstone Enterprise 4.0, a security product that focuses on finding and fixing vulnerabilities rather than stopping malicious code.

The system can help information technology managers ensure that users are adhering to security policies, automatically generate tickets directing IT administrators to repair vulnerabilities and generate reports.