Software AG announces first solution to automatically build and maintain the data store for enterprise-level data warehouses and Web servers

Business Wire, Oct 14, 1996

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1996--

SourcePoint product and services package addresses fastest growing segment of data warehouse market: infrastructure management; saves time and money through parallel data acquisition

Software AG today announced SourcePoint 2.1, software that addresses the critical problem of automating the flow of information from diverse operational systems and data sources to data warehouse and relational-based Web servers. SourcePoint is the key product in a new solution Software AG is introducing to its customers this month -- the Enterprise Web Data Warehouse -- featuring software and services focused on populating Web and data warehouse servers. This solution enables access to information through dynamic web sites, automation and control of the back-end operational environment, and affordable system implementation on a world-wide basis.

SourcePoint 2.1 is an open, client/server application that automates the extract, transfer and load processes required to build and maintain information servers that must provide timely, accurate data to end users. It comprises a set of client/server components, installed on different platforms, linked by middleware. SourcePoint features a unique parallel processing architecture that significantly speeds the data acquisition process; an open approach that supports diverse databases and network transport protocols; an easy-to-use, single point of administration, and the capability to schedule and facilitate the data acquisition process automatically, without operator intervention.

"Software AG is the first company to provide a solution in one of the fastest growing segments of the data warehouse market -- building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure to ensure that data is always accurate and current for end users who need to access critical business information," said Bob Flury, senior vice president of Software AG s Data Warehousing Line of Business. "Until now, this complex and demanding back end of the data warehouse has been held together by manual processes and cobbled together systems that are slow, inefficient, unreliable, and expensive to maintain. SourcePoint streamlines data management to a single point of administration, and reduces the substantial costs associated with maintaining a data warehouse over its lifetime. We are building on Software AG s strength in delivering enterprise-level, end-to-end data warehouse solutions for our customers worldwide."

Software AG offers customers a complete data warehouse solution through a combination of products, services, and strategic partnerships. One of Software AG s key partnerships is with MicroStrategy, Inc. of Vienna, Va., whose On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) offerings are resold and implemented by Software AG.

"As a Data Warehouse partner, MicroStrategy supports Software AG s forward thinking approach to the next generation of tools needed in this market," said Michael Saylor, president of MicroStrategy, Inc. "The whole issue of populating the data warehouse is the same as populating the information server. SourcePoint provides a vital back end link between Web servers, like MicroStrategy s powerful DSS Server, and heterogeneous databases and legacy systems. It s a tool that meets the needs of companies who intend to scale-up to support thousands of users on multiple web servers, data marts or data warehouses."

SourcePoint saves time and money through its parallel data acquisition technique that runs the extract, transport and load steps simultaneously, thus reducing the manual steps and time needed for the update process. The product also addresses the critical issues of change management and data accuracy by ensuring that data is continually updated through a simplified scheduling of the update process. With its single point of administration, the product is easy to operate, increases administrator productivity and shields customers from the underlying system complexity.

SourcePoint consists of three major components:

-- Administrator -- a Windows-based control mechanism for setting up and scheduling data extractions, transport and loading data into the target warehouse or Web server.

-- Agent -- a UNIX or Windows NT-based component that coordinates the source data extract, transport, and load process.

-- Extract Services a component that enables extract programs written with Software AG s NATURAL, SUPERNATURAL and Carleton s Passport extraction and transformation product to be managed by SourcePoint. A published interface for customer-written C and COBOL extraction programs will be available in the first quarter of 1997.

The Administrator runs on Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT; the Agent runs on HP-UX, AIX, Digital UNIX and Windows NT (4Q96), and Extract Services runs on MVS, VSE, HP-UX, AIX, Digital UNIX and Windows NT.

The key new product features in version 2.1 of SourcePoint include:

-- New extract services -- SourcePoint provides an API that allows NATURAL and Passport extract programs to be supported. SourcePoint reads Passport s metadata.