Platinum Technology Inc’s Business Intelligence unit has come out with a new release of its InfoBeacon 3.1 decision support tool to include support for Web browsers and distributed three-tier architecture. It has added InfoBeacon Web, a gateway between Web server and InfoBeacon application servers and support for the Common Gateway Interface and Explorer and Navigator programming interfaces. InfoBeacon creates a virtual multidimensional view on top of relational databases including IBM Corp’s DB2 family, Microsoft Corp’s SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, Informix and Red Brick Warehouse via Object DataBase Connectivity. It comes with drill down, pivoting, ranking, ratios, complex exception and date handling. A multi-server navigator feature supports distributed heterogeneous data warehouse environments by parcelling a single logical request into parallel queries to disparate database servers. Platinum is pushing InfoBeacon into the business analyst, application developer and database administrator market. Typical InfoBeacon uses include ad-hoc interaction with warehouse data, agent-based messaging and browser-based interactive analysis. It includes proactive agents for notifying users of problems and automated decision support work flow processes. InfoBeacon also includes InfoSynergy to manage the workflow application construction environment for InfoBeacon. InfoBeacon Web is scheduled for release in August. The client and application server are up under Windows 3.1, 95 and NT now, with application versions for HP-UX, AIX and Solaris due in September; no prices. Platinum has also inked a licensing deal for InfoBeacon with Dallas, Texas facilities management outfit Affiliated Computer Services Inc, which will offer the product with its data mart and data warehouse systems.
