Platforms
Linux progresses nicely with the v2.6 kernel, while mobile middleware makes a move
Follow @infoworldThe year in operating systems began with a bang — or maybe a resounding squawk — with the arrival of the v2.6 Linux kernel. Breaking through RAM, processor, and other limits of the previous kernel, v2.6 wowed us in every performance test we threw at it, leaving us hungry for enterprise server distributions built on it. Novell fired first, turning up the heat under Red Hat Enterprise Linux with Suse Linux Enterprise Server 9 in August. We’re eagerly awaiting Red Hat’s response, due in Q1 2005.
Linux also made progress on the desktop this year, but alas, more is needed before even the best workstation distributions will be as manageable as its Windows counterpart. We expect Novell, Red Hat, and Sun to begin closing this gap in the coming year.
One product category that has rapidly matured is middleware for extending corporate data to handheld devices, exemplified by the solid mobile application servers we tested from Extended Systems, iAnywhere, and Intellisync. We were likewise impressed by virtual servers this year, especially VMware’s offerings, though Microsoft’s Virtual Server is no slouch. No doubt the best in virtualization is yet to come.
APP SERVERS
Extended Systems OneBridge Mobile Solutions Platform
Extended Systems
Very Good, 8.5
Cost: Ranges from $100 to $200 per seat
Bottom Line: OneBridge delivers e-mail and PIM data regardless of client, connection method, or groupware app. Enterprises can develop customized mobile apps that synchronize to back-end databases, or they can use OneBridge’s Integration Server to access SAP, Siebel, and other BI applications.
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iAnywhere Solutions M-Business Anywhere 5.5
iAnywhere Solutions
Very Good, 8.3
Cost: Ranges from $69 to $299 per seat
Bottom Line: M-Business Anywhere allows you to cost-effectively deploy mobile Web apps to Tablet PCs, laptops, and PDAs. Beyond broad Web-standards support, it provides access to enterprise databases. Full-fledged asset management and groupware data synchronization require separate products.
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Intellisync Mobile Suite 5.5
Intellisync
Excellent, 8.9
Cost: Starts at $4,000 for 25 users
Bottom Line: This modular middleware platform allows you to start with one of four components — Email Accelerator, Data Sync, File Sync, and Systems Management — or combine them to customize a mobile infrastructure. It’s strong in each of these areas and has a solid underlying server architecture.
