Event Summary
Vignette Corporation has announced a comprehensive, three-tiered Java technology strategy that encompasses tools, applications and a complete Java technology-enabled platform. The Vignette V/5 e-business platform will support Java Server Pages (JSP's) and was announced at Sun Microsystems 2000 Worldwide Java Developer Conference.
As part of the strategy Vignette will use JAVA Server pages as a native scripting language for rapidly developing applications, and it will make its entire object model available implemented as Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) APIs in the fourth quarter. The strategy was formalized as part of JavaOne(SM), Sun's 2000 Worldwide Java Developer Conference held in San Francisco.
Central to Vignette's Java Platform strategy are partnerships with Sun, IBM and BEA, leaders in providing highly scalable Java technology-based application servers to businesses. According to Doug Kaewert, vice president of market development at Sun Microsystems, Inc, "The strong commitment Vignette has made to the Java platform, including EJB component interfaces for core platform services like content management, personalization and multi-channel communication, demonstrates its commitment to extensible, standards-based computing". The Vignette V/5 e-business platform will support XML, Java, Java 2, and COM.
Market Impact
Vignette recently acquired EAI vendor OnDisplay, a vendor of XML-based business-to-business infrastructure products, which had previously acquired Oberon Software, a vendor in "e-business enablement". The EAI vendor community is indeed shrinking fast. Vignette will have to move quickly to establish momentum with their V/5 initiatives or they may be the next to be absorbed by a larger player such as Vitria or Tibco (30% probability).
The alliances with Sun, IBM, and BEA should provide Vignette with some market resiliency. In addition, the encapsulation of their object model in the industry standard Enterprise Java Beans and use of XML technology is a wise move. We also would not be surprised if Vignette attempts to acquire additional technologies for e-business enablement by further acquisitions (50% probability).
User Recommendations
Customers in the early stages of setting up an e-business strategy should consider Vignette's V/5 solution. The vendor's commitment to open standards and the use of an object model should simplify development and ease integration with other products. Some of the other vendors that should be examined are Tibco, Mercator, Vitria, and Evoke. There are many other vendors attempting to move into this space, although most of them do not refer to it as "enterprise application integration" (examples of these are Informix and Informatica). In any case, irrespective of which vendor is chosen, the actual product deliverable should be closely examined and reference sites carefully questioned.