Sybase Inc yesterday used its annual Powersoft User Conference in Los Angeles to unveil Enterprise Application Studio, a set of development tools designed to enable companies to build and deploy distributed, web and client/server applications. Enterprise Application Studio comprises three components: Sybase’s existing PowerBuilder and PowerJ development tools plus a third, new component called the Enterprise Application Server. Jennifer Kotzen, the company’s product marketing manager for applications, servers and tools said the new product provides an environment that embraces both web and client/server architectures. She added the software would help to reduce development and deployment costs by enabling the integration of existing applications and data with new web technologies. The company also used the conference to announce the immediate availability of the latest versions of its enterprise development tools, PowerBuilder 6.5 (for 4GL applications) and PowerJ 2.5 (for Java applications). Kotzen said new features of PowerBuilder 6.5 include WSYWIG editing, web site management, dynamic web page generation, a Java Bean Proxy (which allows the middle tier PowerBuilder logic to be accessed remotely) and COM component generation. PowerJ 2.5 features the same enhancements, Kotzen said, plus a number of specific upgrades including support for Swing Java Windows interface class components and support for Java Development Kit 1.1.6. She added that the new versions of the development tools would be integrated into the Enterprise Application Studio when its released in the fourth quarter this year. The third component, Enterprise Application Server, provides all the technology needed for doing business over the internet. The server comprises two parts; the existing Jaguar CTS, a component transaction server, and PowerDynamo, a dynamic web page server. Jaguar CTS 2.0 includes Corba (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) 2.2 compliance as well as multiple security features, she said. Kotzen said Jaguar CTS’ inclusion in Sybase Enterprise Application Server permits it to use services published using Corba and be used as a bridge between Corba and Microsoft COM services when running on an NT server. The next version of the suite, code-named Vineyard, is being designed to address customers’ needs for a single point of control for developing enterprise applications. Available in the first half of 1999, Vineyard will also feature tighter integration between PowerBuilder and the Enterprise Application Server component, the company said.
