Compuware Tries To Get FlexibleCompuware Tries To Get Flexible

The startups and upstarts in systems-management and performance software march to the chant of "Modular-Flexible." One of the key targets they like to compare themselves to is Compuware Corp., the leading high-end app-performance software vendor. For years, though, Compuware has strong-armed customers with harsh upgrade policies and prices based on the size of customers' computers.

Because it has lost enough skirmishes at the midrange market level, Compuware may be gradually changing its ways. The vendor on Monday will unveil Vantage 8.5 application performance suite with the goal of easing complexity for customers. New features include a Web-based management console, instant reporting, more integrated features, and beefier scalability. Vantage Suite 8.5 will be available immediately; pricing starts at $19,000 and increases as customers add probes or network components.

The Web-based console should get high marks for flexibility since administrators will be able to access Vantage from anyplace they can grab a network port. Instant reporting gives people previews at the touch of a button. Then they can click again to publish, print, and deliver the reports. Application developers will be able to access multiple features deep in Vantage for data mining and other business reports. And companies can use bigger computers without getting whacked by CPU pricing.

Independent analyst Richard Ptak likes the new user interface, the ease of use, and the integrating of utilization out of the box. "Before, customers had to launch different products separately and correlate them manually," Ptak says. He notes that Compuware still has to overcome its poor customer-service rap. "Compuware seems more focused on the users and their needs," Ptak says, "and that's a step in the right direction."