Using Web Services To Keep Corba Apps RelevantUsing Web Services To Keep Corba Apps Relevant

Iona Technologies plc this week will debut a new release of its Web-services development and deployment software that supports the Corba object architecture. XMLBus version 5.4 will allow companies with Corba applications to extend and enhance those systems using Web services.

Many companies today, particularly in the telecom, financial services, and aerospace industries, run mission-critical apps based on Corba because of its industrial-strength security and messaging technologies and its ability to handle high transaction volumes.

But Corba is a complex architecture that's difficult to enhance or integrate with non-Corba apps, says Meta Group analyst Joanne Friedman. With this upgrade, developers will be able to extend Corba applications using Web services, linking legacy Corba apps to Web-based E-commerce software, for example. That will let businesses get more value out of aging Corba apps, Friedman says.

XMLBus 5.4 also offers new operation-flow-designer capabilities that developers use to map low-level components to high-level services. The software will ship Sept. 30; it's priced at $495 per development license and $2,500 per CPU for deployment.