Testing Suite streamlines systems integration.
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Press Release Summary:
Integra Enterprise v4.0 enables control of messaging backbone of software integration projects with automated testing and simulation tools. Flex adaptor protocol library operates across all messaging protocols and prototypes on scalable basis. Testing module allows developers to test message-based components and their interfaces in isolation, while Simulation module lets Integra Enterprise emulate unavailable systems using intelligent business rules.
Original Press Release:
Solstice Software Delivers Industry's First Integration Testing Suite
Integra Enterprise Enables Visibility and Control of Messaging Backbone that Drives Today's Critical Integration Projects
Orlando, FL. - October 29, 2003 - Solstice Software, Inc., the pioneer in behind-the-screens message testing, today announced Integra Enterprise 4.0, the industry's first commercialized, enterprise-class integration testing suite. By enabling visibility and control of the messaging backbone of mainframe integration, Web services, and other complex software integration projects, Integra Enterprise solves the most vexing problems that face integration project managers, senior managers, and QA staff. Solstice is debuting Integra Enterprise at Integration World in Orlando, Florida on October 28-30, 2003.
"Solstice has a unique product that allows Radian to handle the special logistical challenges that are part of testing a new system," stated Chief Information Officer Liz Shuttleworth at Radian Group Inc., a leading credit enhancement provider to the global financial and capital markets. "The Solstice product allows Radian to test our critical messaging infrastructure, and test it early when we can really impact quality. Not only does this improve the quality of the messaging infrastructure, it also makes the invaluable time we have to test with our clients and vendors that much more effective and efficient."
Solstice is introducing Integra Enterprise 4.0 at a critical point in IT history. The rise of EAI, Web services, and other integrated, component-based applications demands a new approach to quality. The challenge is compounded by increased complexity and a lack of tools. Without realizing it, organizations are settling for lesser quality than what they signed up for. Clearly, integration projects, by their architectural nature, require a more rigorous approach to testing and attention to detail to reach acceptable results. Solstice is designed to streamline and control integration complexity. Simply stated, Solstice enables testing teams to work smarter, not harder.
"The people on the front lines of integration projects are feeling the pain of actually implementing the integration," said Lori Gipp, vice president of marketing at Solstice. "They've been transported back to the 70's and 80's era of application development, because there have been no commercial tools available for testing their critical messaging backbone. Integra Enterprise provides visibility into an integration project's logic and messaging backbone, where the bulk of work takes place."
Solving Integration's "Unsolvable" Problem
Solstice Software provides a suite of automated testing and simulation tools designed to streamline and improve reliability of integration projects.
Integra Enterprise's comprehensive protocol library and unique focus on messaging give project teams the vital ability to go "behind-the-screens" and unearth problems buried in messages and files that can bring down today's critical systems - something that other vendors ignore. Unlike traditional application development, integration projects span a large number of new and existing applications, departments, and technologies. More assembly than coding, integration implementations are largely focused on the messaging backbone that interconnects the multiple, discrete applications being unified into a larger enterprise system.
Integra Enterprise delivers visibility and control over testing and validating messages. Relying on an unsurpassed protocol library (built over the past seven years by Solstice) that operates across virtually all messaging protocols and prototypes, Integra Enterprise supports the testing of the most complex applications at companies like MCI, Nationwide and Radian Group. Integra Enterprise's revolutionary simulation facility lets teams regain control over testing by simulating unavailable systems.
Inside Integra Enterprise
With Integra Enterprise, Solstice draws on seven years of intense research and development, as well as feedback from satisfied customers who have relied on the company's earlier products to tackle demanding integration projects. While the protocol library and simulation module are the most innovative features of Integra Enterprise and set it apart from all other testing tools, the suite consists of four main components: Automate, the Messaging Testing workbench, including an Intelligent Record and Reply capability; Simulate; Validate; and the Protocol Library. In addition to these main components, Integra Enterprise boasts a ground-breaking capability, called Flex Adaptor that supports multiple protocols (Internet, vendor or proprietary) on a scalable basis.
Integra Automate
The Testing module allows developers, business analysts, and QA staff to quickly and easily test message-based components and their interfaces in isolation. Isolating the test cases gives project teams the ability to substantially reduce the number of defects that are introduced into the end-to-end testing phase and provide greater predictability over project delivery. The Intelligent Record and Replay capability lets Integra Enterprise users record message traffic across multiple protocols and replay that traffic in a synchronized fashion for both functional and volume testing.
Integra Simulate
The Simulation module lets Integra Enterprise emulate unavailable systems with intelligent business rules. Rather than reproduce the entire system, Integra Enterprise simulates the subset of message responses needed for testing purposes. Simulation solves the problem of how to test when not all of the component systems are available. By providing a wizard-driven interface to create the business rules for message traffic simulation, project teams can drive entire business process test scenarios through a system early in the development process to test tricky integration logic, triggers and responses. Testing logic early is the key to regaining control of integration projects.
Integra Validate
The Validation module enables Integra Enterprise to sift through the volume of information generated by complex transactions, comparing message replies, as well as database and file updates to pinpoint any errors. Validation automates the verification that a test had the desired effect and verifies message replies, as well as database and file updates. Utilizing both a rules-based and a simple comparative approach, Validation gives the user ease of use on one hand and the ability to validate complex transactions on the other.
The Protocol Library
The Protocol Library was built to support complex integration projects from mainframe to Web services and the middleware in between. By their very nature, integration projects span a host of technologies and protocols, and therein lies the inherent difficulty. Most applications, tools and groups are environment-specific. The challenge to effectively delivering integration projects is to make it possible to work across protocols and environments. To be effective, test scenarios must map to business processes, whatever environments they traverse. At a minimum, integration projects must have support for the major protocols, not just within an application, but across an entire system. Integra Enterprise's Protocol Library contains support for:
Industry Protocols: Http/XML, Https, TCP/IP, FTP, SOAP/WSDL
Vendor Protocols: WebSphere MQ (formerly MQ Series), Tibco, webMethods, JMS
Proprietary Protocols: Flex-Adaptor provides rapid modeling
Integra Enterprise is available today from Solstice Software. For more detailed technical information on Integra Enterprise, please see the "Tools for Change: Enabling Effective Application Integration Projects" white paper at http://solsticesoftware.com/registration_whitepaper.html
For more information on Solstice Software, please call (302) 791-9900, email at sales@solsticesoftware.com, or visit solsticesoftware.com.
About Solstice Software, Inc.
Solstice Software, Inc. delivers message-based application testing and simulation software that radically reduces the time and money companies spend on complex software integration projects. With the ability to handle all types of integration projects from mainframe to Web services and all the middleware in between, Solstice can streamline today's most complex projects. Solstice's groundbreaking simulation capabilities enables automated, early testing of the foundational message systems that lie behind an application user interface. Testing can be performed across any protocol, any environment, and any component, regardless of availability. Companies such as Accenture, EDS, MCI, Nationwide, Radian Group, and Swisscom are using Solstice solutions to deliver their integration projects on time and on budget. Founded in 1996 and privately funded, Solstice Software is headquartered in Claymont, Delaware and can be found online at solsticesoftware.com.
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