Innovision Corp this week demonstrates an early version of its Nepal web and internet-based trading software which it has created for Dean Witter’s Discover Brokerage Direct, formerly Lombard Securities (CI No 3,084). The software, claimed to be the first application to use the OFX Open Financial Exchange specifications developed by Microsoft, Intuit, CheckFree and supported by the likes of Visa International, connects Java-based clients to an Innovision OFX server which in turn connects to a back office application – in this case Discover Direct trading system The client will be able to exchange data with personal financial management applications including a future OFX-enabled version of Intiut Quicken. Innovision uses a Sun JavaServer for its HTTP and Secure Sockets Layer requirement. OFX defines how financial client software links to servers, via Internet or dial- up, at banks and brokerage houses for banking, bill payments and investment transactions. Quick to seize the opportunity, Sun Microsystems Inc says it will make available an end-to-end set of technologies for creating web-based retail banking and securities trading operations combining Java, BEA Systems Inc’s Tuxedo OLTP and Jolt Java extensions, Neon Software’s NeoNet messaging middleware, Tibco’s push technology, Innovision OFX servers, Oracle and Meca Software personal financial management software. Sun calls the framework Sun Connect, a name once used by its PC connectivity and network management software group. Sun says the program will also support solutions based on the Integrion group’s OFX rival called Gold Message Standard, which is backed by amongst others, IBM Corp. Integrion has pledged to build a gateway to OFX.
