Sun acquiring SeeBeyond says integration isn't a stand-alone solution
By Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Filling a gap in its Java Enterprise System, Sun Microsystems acquired enterprise application integration (EAI) vendor SeeBeyond for $387 million. Founded in 1989 as Software Technologies Corp., the company became SeeBeyond in 2000, and three years later unveiled its ICAN product line, among the most Java-compliant integration solutions in the market.
SeeBeyond is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Sun to bulk up its infrastructure and Java offerings. In recent months, Sun bought Storage Technology Corp. to boost its presence in storage networks and media, and previously acquired identity management technology to bolster Netscape directory technology purchased in 1998.
Until now, Sun's Java Enterprise System included a core application server, as well as a Web server, and collaboration, identity management, and high-availability components. The SeeBeyond acquisition adds an integration capability that works natively in a Java environment, with development tools that use Sun's NetBeans framework. Although ICAN is a recent offering for SeeBeyond, the company says the Java-based product now comprises about one-third of its business.
Integration solutions are no longer stand-alone buys. Although major players such as TIBCO and webMethods remain independent, IBM, SAP, Oracle, and BEA are actively promoting integration as part of their core solution stacks. Sun is hoping the third time is the charm, having not capitalized on the integration technology previously acquired from Forte and Netscape.
