2011 MultiValue Industry End-of-Year Recap
Ashwood Computer
What new features or services did Ashwood Computer, Inc. introduce in 2011?
Due to our reputation within the MultiValue industry for providing excellent service and support, we significantly increased the size of our customer base in 2011. Because of this increase we sought out and were fortunate to hire a MultiValue experienced new employee whom we have since dedicated to the provision of Professional Services for our growing customer base. Additionally, we completed two exciting projects involving legacy MultiValue systems, one involving an ADDS Mentor to Universe v11.1 conversion effort and the other a Reality v2 to Reality v14 upgrade. These legacy systems upgrades are always exciting for our conversion team and for our new customers because we realize such an impressive performance boost. For example, one of the legacy processes we addressed went from taking over four hours a day to under four minutes a day!
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
Ashwood's A-team pulled together, and we all worked hard on our certification to the latest new ISO 9001:2008 Standard. Ashwood Computer, Inc. passed our ISO audits, and we received our certificate of registration to the latest ISO standard 9001:2008! Our scope of our registration covers the design and development of information technology systems, including software, hardware, and services. Ashwood's Quality Systems have now been registered and audited compliant through three new ISO standards, the 9001:1994, 9001:2000 and now the 9001:2008 Standard.
Companies seeking services and assistance with their ISO registered information systems can contact Ashwood with confidence knowing that our systems have been audited and confirmed in compliance with the latest 9001:2008 Standard. This is very important to all companies registered and ISO certified!
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
Take a look at your 2012 calendar, get this education expense approved, and make your reservations to attend the International Spectrum Conference in West Palm Beach NOW!
Visit Ashwood's booth during the exhibit sessions at Spectrum, meet our Ashwood A-team, and learn first-hand who we are and what we can do for you and your company.
Ashwood will be demonstrating the newest release of our MultiValue Developer's Toolset at the International Spectrum Conference in West Palm Beach!
We plan to offer several breakout session opportunities so that all attending can have a chance to preview the tools. And we will offer the opportunity at our booth to work hands-on with both the character and GUI versions.
FastBac DR will be ready in 2012 for our Windows MultiValue system users!
Entrinsik
What new features or services did Entrinsik introduce in 2011?
We've had a very exciting year here at Entrinsik. Our Informer software is an award-winning operational business intelligence solution enabling over a thousand organizations to access real-time data from multiple sources quickly and easily. This year we've added support for the D3 database management system. "The new features built into D3 9.0 provides software developers with all the tools needed to create and customize next-generation enterprise applications," says Janet Cioffi-Kennedy, Vice President Sales at TigerLogic Corporation. "And with Informer, developers can easily offer an integrated, flexible reporting solution that delivers the real-time insight their customers need to manage day-to-day operations."
We also introduced Informer data bundles for users of Vertafore and Datatel database management systems. The bundles include canned reports and data mappings allowing for instant implementation and rapid rollout to end users.
This year we also redesigned our web site to provide a more interactive experience for site visitors, and we've seen a dramatic increase in site traffic and product interest.
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
What's been exciting this past year has been the continued expansion of our Informer Partner Network, including Media Services Group who replaced their embedded reporting engine with Informer, TigerLogic who has partnered with us to offer Informer to the D3 user community, and Wynne Systems who integrated Informer into their product suite. We offer customers and partners a software developers kit (SDK) that allows them to extend the Informer environment via a plug-in framework to create default reports, metadata, new security drivers, a customized interface, hooks into legacy business logic, and other extensions.
Building on our solid reputation in the MultiValue space, we've made significant progress penetrating the relational database market and have incorporated into Informer key features such as pre-set table joins, simple connections to existing databases with no prior database setup required, and one-step report construction of SQL statements. In addition we've invested heavily in new development with a focus on building dashboard capabilities into Informer to provide organizations with visual insight and access into key performance indicators and metrics. With its low cost of ownership, ease of use, cutting edge technology and real-time access to data, Informer is well positioned to become the software of choice for businesses looking to make faster, smarter decisions.
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
Launching Q1 next year will be Informer Dashboards, which will provide interactive visualization capabilities that enable end users to quickly identify operational issues, manage business performance, and uncover trends, all in real time from an easy-to-use drag and drop web-based interface. The enhancements will enable organizations to analyze data in a whole new way with implementation and rollout in days instead of months.
Beginning January 2012, we will be offering a solution that will assist Datatel users in migrating their Informer UniData-based mappings and reports to a SQL environment. In addition, we continue to extend Informer for use with additional databases with support for Open QM scheduled for release next year.
Building on the tremendous success of our first Informer User Conference (ICON) last year, we are finalizing details for the upcoming 2nd ICON Conference in March 2012 and are planning for an even more successful event in beautiful downtown Raleigh, NC, recently voted the #1 BEST CITY to live by Business Week. This year will be particularly exciting with the roll out of Informer Dashboards and the availability of the highly anticipated tool designed to assist Datatel users in migrating their Informer UniData-based mappings and reports to a SQL environment.
InterSystems
What new features or services did InterSystems introduce in 2011?
During 2011 InterSystems introduced a major upgrade to DeepSee and a new portal for Ensemble.
DeepSee, InterSystems' embedded real-time analytics capabilities software, now incorporates MDX business intelligence industry-standard query technology. It is now possible for an application to incorporate MDX queries providing a new mechanism for creating a result set. Additional enhancements include significantly increased query speeds, addition of dimension hierarchy to cube definition to deliver more granular indexing, and delivery of more intuitive user interfaces for defining the cube, analyzing data, and developing dashboards.
The InterSystems Ensemble rapid integration and development platform now has a completely redesigned user interface written using Zen, our Web 2.0 framework. The Ensemble portal has been redesigned from the ground up to better anticipate user needs. In addition to reduced requirements for clicking and typing, tabs make it possible for the user to have access to more choices and information without leaving the page. Finally, the business rules editor has been redesigned to enable easy creation of highly complex logic.
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
It's always exciting when customers use InterSystems technology to enhance their business. Our MultiValue customers have been particularly proactive during 2011. For example:
Shift, an Application Partner in Brazil, has replaced its outmoded green screen user interface with a Web interface built using Zen. All pages have the same look, feel and data handling. The company was able to preserve its legacy MultiValue business logic while extending it to the new user interface. In addition, the company recently began using Ensemble and, as a result, won a deal requiring integration of 26 hospitals.
Providence Associates Medical Laboratories (PAML) used InterSystems' distributed service architecture to double the number of customers they service. In addition, they replaced its legacy approach for dealing with errors. PAML implemented an Ensemble-based workflow solution that queues errors for resolution by the appropriate individual and presents all relevant transaction information on one Outlook-like display. The result is the ability to process significantly more transactions with fewer resources than on the previous platform.
HealthPac Computer Systems, Inc. used the Zen functionality in CACHÉ to add new features to its billing system product. The new capabilities as well as a modernized interface were deployed in record time. Today, customers using the legacy MultiValue system have access to a richer feature set as well as a more user-friendly interface. Just as critical, HealthPac is winning larger customer contracts and has improved its positioning for future growth
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
Building on the new technologies that InterSystems delivered this year, IT organizations will be implementing breakthrough applications at a rapid rate during 2012. Until quite recently, applications have typically been built to automate business processes. Now, most of that conventional work has been completed and attention is turning to changing — sometimes radically — the way that people work.
These breakthrough applications are typified by:
- Mass personalization, which means delivering whatever information an individual needs in the most appropriate format on virtually any platform.
- Access to all data in any format. This includes access to unstructured data, text, video, and images as well as the structured data which applications have been limited to handling in the past.
- Ability to drive informed action, which means that decisions will be made and operations and workflow will change as a result of the breakthrough application.
Ladybridge Systems Ltd
What new features or services did Ladybridge Systems introduce in 2011?
2011 saw the introduction of 64 bit versions of QM. Although the compactness of MultiValue applications makes the increased address space irrelevant, the 64 bit architecture provides some useful performance benefits. The 64 bit version of the QMClient API is essential for use with some external packages.
We have continued to extend the environments from which QM can be accessed, including a new Java wrapper for the QMClient API. We have forged a strong relationship with FusionWare to bring their ODBC interface to QM and, at the time of writing (October 2011), are hopeful that both Entrinsik's Informer and Revelation's OpenInsight will be supporting QM by the end of the year.
We also published a "Teach Yourself QM" self-study training package that takes the student from potentially being a total beginner to being able to design and implement QM applications in a professional manner. Feedback on this has been very positive.
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
The major development for 2011 was the extended character set (Unicode) support in QM. This has entered beta test ahead of schedule and should be available on general release early in 2012. This development will form the basis of our presentation at the 2012 Spectrum Conference.
With shared servers and cloud computing in mind, we have introduced the capability for a Linux server to run multiple totally isolated instances of QM that do not require root access for system administration.
Revelation Software
What new features or services did Revelation Software introduce in 2011?
OpenInsight 9.3 which will be released in Q4 2011 incorporates a new encryption service (RTIDER) that system administrators can deploy to encrypt (on a folder, table, or field by field level) data in OpenInsight. Our OpenInsight for Web (O4W) web development toolkit includes additional support for mobile devices, such as tablets and smart-phones. The 9.3 release will also include a Banded Report Writer (BRW) that is similar in functionality to Crystal Reports.
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
Over the past year Revelation Software has had continuous growth in new software licenses sold. This growth is result of our dedicated reseller and development community.
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
As long as the Mayan calendar does not run out on December 21, 2012, we will release OpenInsight v10, which will be our 64-bit implementation of the product.
Rocket U2
What new features or services did Rocket U2 introduce in 2011?
The major product releases for 2011 are:
- SB/XA 6.1 — Support for Custom .NET Controls, Office Automation Integration, Zoom and Resize, and more.
- U2 DataVu 2.0 — One-click charts, Quick Report Wizards, drill down scenarios, result set combining, and predictive analytics.
- U2 Clients — Due end of September. Combined release of all common clients as well as UDT and UV-specific clients. Will include a 64-bit ODBC Ansi Level 3 compliant driver for UniVerse!
Other releases that have or might happen by end of year:
- UniVerse rollout on all platforms as well as multiple patches (fixpacks). UniVerse 11.1 has a major feature of U2 Replication for High Availability and Report Server solutions.
Also included are External Database Access (EDA) for integrating U2 with external databases such as SQLServer, Oracle and DB2. Other features are a new Extensible Administration tool and enhancements to automatic data encryption. We are pleased to see the increased adoption of this major release.
- We may get our first iPhone/iPad viewer for U2 DataVu Web Reports and Dashboards by end of November (may be called iVu) (Q4).
- We may/should at least get out an Early Program for U2 DataGen - test data generator (Q4).
- We should get out wIntegrate 6.3 with a new GUI Form Designer that automates the Basic driver code (DEC).
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
I would say the most exciting thing at Rocket Software is the company's implementation of its vision for the next chapter of growth, synergy, and creating outstanding results for customers, partners, employees, and shareholders. We are working on a number of initiatives to strengthen the whole business and as a result have seen significant investment in sales, marketing, product management, services, support, and development.
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
Exciting new features and products across the portfolio. Major releases of UniData and SBXA; the full release of U2 DataGen; a combined release of U2 DB Tools — all the common Eclipse-based tools. New tools for schema management and improved interoperability enhancements.
Additional offerings from the broad portfolio of other Rocket Software business units. A VERY EXCITING U2 University event! More marketing, better processes, more growth and more fun!
SJ+ Systems Associates
What new features or services did SJ+ Systems Associates introduce in 2011?
This year, our focus was on making PRC more companionable. PRC is a complete and compliant life-cycle management/IT governance tool, which was written in and for MultiValue environments. It has been refactored to be more platform-independent within MultiValue and to support more plug-ins to tools outside the environment. This makes PRC easier to interface in multiple development environments where other tools and products are involved. Within the MultiValue space this has included the Basic Developer Tool (BDT) from Rocket U2 and Design Bais, as well as multiple user interfaces such as SB/XA with XAML. It has always supported SB+ and a number of other MultiValue development tools and editors. PRC provides its own or can interface with other tools for source control/change control/version control, service request software and project management. PRC also includes a test framework, automates deployment (with rollback) and provides a wide range of reporting and auditing — all of which have enjoyed great new releases this year.
What was the greatest or most exciting thing that happened to your company or product in 2011?
Celebrating 20 years! It has been satisfying to dedicate our focus on the development and support of PRC for the past two decades. The world has matured around security and governance in so many aspects of our technology-based lifestyles. Nimbly responding to the requirements that have sprung from that has been both challenging and rewarding.
What would you like Spectrum readers to watch for in 2012?
More companies are developing in multiple platforms, managing multiple teams, and deploying to multiple locations. PRC will continue to make it easy for the MultiValue side to not only keep up, but to lead the way in overall software management and IT Governance.
