WDI Debuts First Open Source Business Integration Engine
Published: 5/15/2003 5:00 amNew tool from Brunswick division helps companies integrate data across platforms without high software fees
VERNON HILLS, ILL. (May 15, 2003) - Web Den Interactive (WDI), the forward-looking development division of Brunswick New Technologies, A Brunswick Company (NYSE:BC), today announced the release of the code for the first widely available open source business integration engine (BIE). The product is designed to help organizations exchange data created in different applications on various platforms with partners, suppliers, and customers to streamline their processes and to improve efficiency.
WDI's BIE offers an integration system that is completely platform independent. As a result, organizations are able to exchange data easily with external trading partners (whose systems were designed to meet their own needs) without the need for extensive redesign of legacy systems, or the creation of individual Web sites for each partner. WDI is the first to adopt the open source model, placing integration within the reach of even small and mid-size organizations. Gartner Group has estimated that the worldwide integration market will reach $10.5 billion in 2006, labeling it one of the fastest growing areas in IT.
"As a manufacturing organization, exchanging data with trading partners is a challenge we know all too well," says T.J. Chung, President of Brunswick New Technologies. "BIE was originally developed as an internal project to modernize this process for the Brunswick family of companies and its partners. When we looked at how easy it is to use, and how effective it is at solving the many business challenges that face manufacturers with independent dealer networks, we realized other organizations could benefit from BIE as well."
One of the key features of BIE is a 4GL GUI that simplifies mapping between documents from external sources and internal systems. Users can point and click to make a simple connection from one side to the other (and back), as well as add business rules in between using an extendable, built-in macro system. As a result, simple documents can be mapped in 15 minutes rather than the one to two days it takes to develop custom code. In addition, the map can be developed by anyone who understands the business data, freeing up high level programmers or developers for other critical tasks.
Another unique feature of BIE is that it gives administrators the ability to configure virtually every function and process through its intuitive web-based dashboard. Administrators can manage security, view reports, configure system properties, manage maps and parsers, and even build business processes using any standard Web browser.
"Our objective was to deliver a complete product," says Michele Lambert, WDI General Manager. "With other integration tools, first you buy the basic tool, then you have to buy additional modules to perform various functions. That didn't seem right to us. We want our customers to have everything they need to integrate internal and external systems from day one."
BIE is the first widely available open source software to use the BMPI's Business Process Modeling Language (BPML). In addition, it incorporates only W3C XML schemas, eliminating the data transfer difficulties caused when proprietary schemas are used, while its core technologies are Java and Web-services based. This thinking reflects WDI's commitment to open standards and the open source movement as a whole.
"Making BIE available through the open source community will give organizations of all sizes the ability to fulfill this critical need without the risk of huge up-front investment required by commercial software applications," says JT Smith, WDI Director of Technology. "They'll be able to try the software for themselves, without making a huge monetary commitment. For the risk-averse, having all the resources of the open source community as part of our development team will help insure that BIE is the most stable, bug-free integration system available."
BIE is distributed as open source software under the GNU General Public License (GPL) through the WDI web site (www.brunswickwdi.com) as well as on the open source collaboration site, SourceForge.net. WDI offers professional services, documentation, and technical support on a fee basis, as well as exclusive-use commercial licenses.
About WDI
WDI is the forward-looking development division of Brunswick New Technologies, A Brunswick Company (NYSE: BC). In Brunswick's tradition of Genuine Ingenuity, WDI is committed to using bleeding edge technologies and open source software to help manufacturers overcome business challenges and improve business processes cost-effectively. For more information, contact: WDI, 200 Fairway Drive, Suite 184, Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061; phone 847-970-6820; fax 847-970-6869; www.brunswickwdi.com; info@brunswickwdi.com. # # #
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