Conference rdgeng::cics

130.0. "Ovum report on CICS" by EPS::HAGGERTY (Kevin, NSIS, Stow MA USA) Thu Apr 03 1997 22:03

[First! for the Web]

Analysts Accuse IBM of Muddying Middleware Market Waters Ovum Report Points
to Failings of CICS as Middleware For Supporting Enterprise-wide,
Distributed Applications

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Date: Thursday, April 3, 1997
Source: PR Newswire
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LONDON, April 2 /PRNewswire/ via Individual Inc. -- Ovum, an independent
information technology analyst group, has released research findings
critical of IBM's middleware strategy.

Ovum's report "Ovum Evaluates: Distributed TP Monitors," finds that IBM's
transaction processing products cannot compete as middleware, supporting
enterprise-wide, distributed applications and that IBM causes confusion
among its customers by calling CICS "middleware."

According to Rosemary Rock-Evans, Ovum associate and author of Ovum
Evaluates: Distributed TP Monitors: "There is no question as to the
supremacy of CICS as a transaction processing (TP) monitor. CICS has been
used for some of the largest and most demanding mainframe applications in
the world. However, there is a big difference between a TP monitor and
distributed TP middleware, and, unfortunately, the current architecture of
CICS betrays its origins in mainframe-based TP. Its main functions are
therefore more oriented to a non-distributed environment."

Ms. Rock-Evans continues: "CICS actually works best as non-distributed
server-support software, rather than as middleware. It has only recently
started to provide support for distributed TP. The fact that this support
does not match that of any of its distributed TP rivals is a result of
CICS's history, its positioning and its state of development.

IBM currently has five main products within its middleware offering: CICS,
MQSeries, DSOM, Encina and DCE, with a database connectivity product called
Data Joiner. But Ms Rock-Evans claims that IBM's middleware strategy is far
from clear: "Muddying the middleware market waters may make IBM more sales
in the short-term, but in the longer term it will disillusion users with
IBM, its products and its regard for its customers."

She concludes: "IBM must make a greater effort to clarify its position on
middleware to its customers and to the market in general. It should also
define the market each product is expected to serve. If IBM does need to
choose products for the future, we believe the combination of DCE, Encina
and MQSeries provides a clearer, complementary and safer long-term solution
for customers than the six solutions currently offered by IBM."

About "Ovum Evaluates: Distributed TP Monitors"

"Ovum Evaluates: Distributed TP Monitors," authored by Rosemary Rock-Evans
and edited by Ovum senior consultant, Eric Woods, is available immediately
from Ovum and costs 995 pounds sterling across Europe. The report also
includes evaluations of Encina (Transarc), GRIP (Itautec), End (NCR) and
Tuxedo (BEA).

About Ovum

Ovum is an information technology and telecommunications analyst group. The
company provides high quality, authoritative information and advice on key
market, technical and regulatory developments. Ovum's customer base
comprises leading blue-chip organizations including suppliers, users and
policy makers worldwide. With offices in Boston, London and Melbourne, Ovum
currently employs 120 staff worldwide and has achieved annual growth of 30%
since it was founded in 1985.

SOURCE Ovum

/CONTACT: Daniel Matkovits, PR Manager (UK) of Ovum, 0171-312 7258 (direct
line) or e-mail, dma@ovum.com, or Dave Hatch, Director of Marketing (USA)
of Ovum, 617-272-6414 or e-mail, dhh@ovum.com/ (IBM)
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