the Pipeline

BAM!

Officials at webMethods Inc. have introduced two new programs to help customers deploy the webMethods Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) solution.

BAM provides real-time control of information technology operations and business processes. That's not as exciting as chef Emeril Lagasse's use of the word, but it's more relevant to IT managers. So kick it up a notch!

Company officials say BAM allows IT shops to reduce the costs associated with responding to customers' problems. One new offering, the webMethods Business Process Report Card, allows IT officials to view the real-time operation of their business processes and provides a baseline of performance metrics to determine how well they are meeting business commitments.

The company is also delivering customized BAM workshops tailored to specific industries

to help managers deploy the system.

"Based on the early success and immediate [return on investment] that we are seeing from customers, webMethods is putting two aggressive programs in place that will enable other organizations to experience the power of business activity monitoring," said Deborah Rosen, executive vice president of worldwide marketing at webMethods.

There's more to cook in an IT operation meal than the main course of business activity, though, such as a side dish of remote management solutions.

Amphus Inc. officials released ManageSite Version 2.3, which adds the ability to remotely manage workstations. The new version also expands the product's support for Linux, adding Red Hat Inc. Enterprise Linux Version 3 and MandrakeSoft's Mandrakelinux.

Earlier versions of ManageSite included support for server blades and Intelligent Platform Management Interface-compatible servers, which means that the system facilitates management of those devices without an operating system.

Using the new version, IT administrators use a single Web-based interface to manage servers and workstations associated with a data center, either locally or remotely. The system can provision and manage all x86-compatible systems.

Opsware Inc. officials are beginning to test Satellite, their new remote server management application. Satellite can use any communications pathway, including satellites, to allow remote management of servers.

According to Opsware officials, Satellite manages the complete server and application life cycle for complex environments. Customers can automatically provision, patch, configure, secure, change, scale, audit, recover, consolidate, migrate and reallocate remote servers and applications from thousands of miles away as easily as they can from the next room, according to officials.

Agencies have developed policies for managing servers, said Eric Vishria, Opsware's director of product management. "What people want to do is extend that same policy-based approach to all their servers in remote locations," he said. "With Satellite, you're able to use that same knowledge base of information about best practices and policies to manage those remote servers."

Citrix Systems Inc. is now shipping its MetaFrame Password Manager 2.5, which is a key component of the MetaFrame Access Suite 3.0. The new password manager includes single sign-on support for Citrix SmoothRoaming. SmoothRoaming provides constant mobile access so that computing environments can follow users across locations and devices.

Password Manager also includes support for Novell Inc. eDirectory, certificate-based smart cards and increased application support for ActiveX

controls, Java scripts and Java applets.

The product provides single sign-on capability for Microsoft Corp. Windows and Web systems. Users authenticate once, and the password software will automatically log in to needed systems.

Targeting the government

Information about conducting business with the government continues to be a hot commodity. Marketing Outsource Associates Inc. officials have launched a new Web portal called TargetGov to provide information for businesses that want to sell to federal, state and local government agencies or to school systems in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.

TargetGov uses a database called the Government Buyers Guide that is searchable and continually updated. It lists more than 3,000 people in 600 agencies.

A company that knows how to target government already, Egenera Inc., has added its BladeFrame utility computing system to the General Services Administration schedule, using the contract of immixTechnology, a subsidiary of immixGroup Inc.

BladeFrame helps customers "dramatically reduce data-center costs, mitigate server sprawl, create business continuity and operate in a mission-critical way," said Art Richer, a vice president at immixTechnology.

Americom Government Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SES Americom, has linked its GSA schedule contract to that of Verestar Inc. Company officials want to expand and deepen the satellite-based communications solutions they can make available to agencies.

"By teaming on our GSA schedules, AGS and Verestar are better able to offer government agencies end-to-end network solutions," said David Helfgott, president and chief executive officer at AGS.