WebLogic Platform ISV Edition features BEA’s Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application server, portal and integration software, Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and WebLogic Workshop J2EE development environment, and is priced at $17,000 per CPU for a limited use license.

BEA said this tailored edition of its WebLogic platform provides a pre-integrated application server platform bundle that can help ISVS save both time and money by avoiding assembling piece-parts of the WebLogic platform, before embedding or bundling BEA’s software with their own application.

BEA, which has seen revenue from new licenses of WebLogic shrink during the last two fiscal quarters, believes WebLogic Platform ISV Edition will help to boost its business, as customers upgrade to the full WebLogic Platform further down the line.

Technology strategist for worldwide channels and alliances, Robert Flannigan, told ComputerWire: The customer of the ISV has the capability of engaging with BEA and of doing an upgrade to the full use product.

The company denied WebLogic Platform ISV Edition is a direct response to declining sales of WebLogic.

BEA is following IBM Corp into ISV territory. Big Blue has spent nearly two years courting software developers and systems integrators with its Express line of products, that span WebSphere application server, portal, integration and DB2 database.

WebLogic Platform ISV Edition continues BEA’s recent strategy of re-packaging its platform into products serving specific markets. BEA recently launched WebLogic Server Process Edition, including business process designer and monitoring capabilities from BEA’s Integration product. Company chief executive Alfred Chuang recently told Wall Street analyst BEA also planned a version of WebLogic Server for customers in the telecommunications sector.

Features included in WebLogic Platform ISV Edition are business process management tools to orchestrate services, map data and perform data transformation, along with Portal’s user interface and WebLogic runtime framework and design time. Missing, are extensions targeted at end-users covering collaboration and commerce, behavior tracking, search and virtual content repositories.

Flannigan called WebLogic Platform ISV Edition WebLogic Server plus, plus or WebLogic Platform minus, minus.