Open Environment and Information Builders enable organizations to build DCE applications incorporating mainframe and legacy systems

Business Wire, Dec 6, 1994

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1994-- Open Environment Corporation and Information Builders, Inc. today announced Encompass Data Extender, a jointly developed data access tool that enables organizations to build applications which easily incorporate their mainframe and legacy systems into DCE and TCP/IP environments.

Encompass Data Extender helps companies build standards-based, three-tiered client/server applications that directly access diverse data sources on many platforms, eliminating the time and expense of writing complex peer-to-peer communication logic to legacy systems and databases.

By combining Information Builders' Enterprise Data Access (EDA)/SQL with Open Environment's Encompass application development framework, Data Extender can directly access relational and non-relational databases, including: IMS, DB2, SQL/DS, VSAM, FOCUS, Adabase, IDMS, Model 204, TOTAL, RMS/Rdb, Datacom, Oracle, Sybase, SAP and Teradata.

EDA/SQL provides transparent access to enterprise-wide heterogeneous data residing in more than 60 different databases and file structures on 35 platforms, with connectivity from multiple third-party front-end tools and applications.

We are dedicated to providing access in the most seamless way possible to the data our users need to build open, distributed applications, said John Senor, vice president of Information Builders' EDA division. It is key to EDA's strategy to support leading application development environments that are based on industry standards. By combining EDA/SQL with Open Environment's client/server software, customers will be able to use industry standard DCE services for accessing information throughout their company, and incorporate it into their mission critical applications. Encompass is an application development framework that integrates the leading graphical user interface development languages and environments and relational databases into a three-tiered environment, and automates the use of DCE services. With the addition of Data Extender, companies will be able to rapidly access the wide variety of data sources supported by EDA/SQL, within a three-tiered environment.

Information Builders' proven solution for connectivity to mainframe and other non-relational data sources significantly broadens our data access capabilities, allowing customers to tap into a wealth of information, said Rod Hodgman, Open Environment's vice president of product marketing. Our customers are building large-scale client/server applications and Data Extender will provide a broad range of data integration for the rapid development and deployment of enterprise-wide DCE applications.

Availability and pricing

Data Extender is available in 30 days with list prices starting at $14,800. Data Extender requires the use of Encompass and the EDA/SQL Server, and will be sold and supported by both Open Environment and Information Builders.

Information Builders, a privately held company, was incorporated in 1975 and ranks among the top independent software vendors in the world, with 1993 revenues of $227 million. The firm's integrated products and services provide open solutions to enterprise needs for business intelligence and data access. These solutions, available worldwide, incorporate FOCUS (the world's leading 4GL), EDA/SQL (industry's top middleware), and Level5 expert system technologies.

Founded in 1993, Boston-based Open Environment Corporation is the leading provider of three-tiered client/server software that enables rapid, risk-free application development across all computing platforms. The fast growing, privately held company has hundreds of customers worldwide.

CONTACT: Beaupre & Co. Public Relations

              Laura Desmarais, 603/436-6690
                     or
              Open Environment Corporation
              Brenda Harrison, 617/562-0900
                     or
              Manning Selvage & Lee
              Kate Bochonko, 212/213-7061
                     or
              Information Builders Inc.
              Pam Haas, 212/736-4433