Cape Clear To Launch Beta Of Next-Gen Web Services Platform

Code-named Generation 4 and scheduled to be formally rolled out late next month, the new release adds support for asynchronous messaging tools such as MQSeries, a management console, support for a broader array of transformations across vertical industry standards for various XML schemas and a task-oriented rapid application development (RAD) environment for developers.

In addition, the new release will add support for SAML (Security Assertions Markup Language), which is rapidly becoming the industry security standard for Web services.

David Clark, senior vice president for strategy and business development, said that Cape Clear, based here, currently has 120 customers and is adding new customers at a rate of about 25 a quarter. He said that average deal size for Cape Clear is $50,000, but the company does have a handful of six-figure engagements.

"With Web services, people are moving beyond just dipping their toes," said Clark.

Clark said that the nature of Web services engagements makes application integration projects more accessible to a broader number of systems integrators and that he expects many of these company will soon be challenging larger, more established consulting firms for these types of projects.

"Among our customers, about 40 percent are using Web services for internal integration projects, 40 percent are using them for portal applications and about 20 percent are doing some type of business-to-business application," he added.

Two integrators cited by Cape Clear that are working with major enterprise customers are Decision Architects of Houston and Wind Vision of Palo Alto, Calif.

In addition to changes in the nature of competition among integrators, Clark said he also expects the continuing downturn in the economy to drive interest in lower-cost Web services platforms as an alternative to traditional EAI tools from companies such at WebMethods, Tibco and Vitria.

"Some people may not want to admit this yet, but the days of the million dollar EAI project are over," said Clark.