3Com Corp and McAfee Associates Inc have gone to BackWeb Technologies Inc for push technologies. 3Com says it will be delivering driver and software updates for US Robotics modems through the 3Com Channel – based on BackWeb technology. 3Com will also be bundling BackWeb client software on its Connections CD, distributed with its US Robotics modems. BackWeb’s channel software delivers a file or group of files to the client software, and holds it in what the company calls the BackWeb cache. Files are downloaded incrementally in the background, while the internet connection is idle, and picks up where it left off if interrupted. A flash then notifies the user of the arrival of the software, and asks if it should be updated. As well as upgrades, 3Com will be delivering software applications, internet service provider deployment lists and product information through its channel. Meanwhile, McAfee will be bundling the BackWeb client, under the SecureCast label, across all of its retail, corporate and OEM product lines, adding 10 million copies to the BackWeb distribution list. BackWeb is now on version 3.0 of its push technology, including a new Client Administration Kit for customization and integration with corporate user interface specifications, and a Publishing Wizard to help non-programmers to publish information, software or files on the push server. The client is available free for download from the BackWeb site, while the server costs from $10,500.
