PageAhead Software Corp, Seattle, Washington, has changed its name to Simba Technologies Inc and has finally released beta shipments of SimbaExpress, new Open Data Base Connectivity middleware for desktop access to multiple SQL and non-SQL databases. The company had been planning to launch SimbaExpress in March, but decided to wait until it was capable of both SQL and non-SQL integration, an official explained. SimbaExpress connects Open Data Base Connectivity-enabled applications to server-based databases via a single Windows client, providing direct access Oracle, Sybase, and standard SQL data from iAPX-86 or Macintosh personal computers. Data processing managers or database administrators can access multiple SQL databases concurrently using a single Open Data Base Connectivity driver and one data communications driver. Client software installation and maintenance is controlled from the server. Simba has three tool kits in its tools product line. SimbaEngine is an software development kit for building Open Data Base Connectivity drivers for any non-SQL data source. SimbaEngine Client/Server is for Unix and NT developers to build interfaces from server-based non-relational databases to Open Data Base Connectivity enabled desktop applications. SimbaLib is for building ODBC drivers for SQL-enabled applications. SimbaExpress and SimbaEngine Client/Server run under Santa Cruz Operating Inc, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX Unixes, OpenVMS, and Windows NT. Simba plans to implement it for other systems, but the official would not say which ones. Simba is presently establishing reseller channels in North America and Western Europe, through which it will sell SimbaExpress. It will sell its tool kits directly. Simba is also introducing a three-phase programme called Data Liberation, for employing three-tier architectures to support business intelligence environments based on Open Data Base Connectivity. It will involve moving legacy data into ODBC application access. No further information was forthcoming. SimbaExpress sells for $150.
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