Covia Technologies readies bevy of tools and component integrators for 1995.

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 1995--Covia Technologies Tuesday announced plans for releasing products this year that will enable application developers, business analysts and systems managers to exploit the Communication Integrator(R) in the enterprise.

This year's Communication Integrator (CI) product agenda includes a wide variety of toolkits and Component Integrators(tm).

The CI Toolkits answer the market's call for message-oriented middleware (MOM) products coupled with tools that help developers quickly understand and implement MOM across three-tier distributed computing environments.

The CI Component Integrators(tm) (CI)2(tm) and the new applications will let users rapidly integrate multiple software components, including legacies - from terminal and batch on the mainframe to Lotus Notes on desktop LANS - across the enterprise, with full application interoperability provided by the CI.

With the new product slate, the CI continues to be a middleware industry leader in high performance and innovative technology. Now shipping in its third generation, the CI provides essential interoperability and management services for application developers, network managers and systems administrators in distributed, heterogeneous computing environments.

Toolkits slated for release in 1995 include:

-- CI Quickstack Toolkit. This Protocol Stack API kit will allow developers with custom network protocols, or the newly emerging variety of mobile network protocols, to quickly integrate those protocols into a CI-based logical network.

-- Visual Programming Toolkits, including Visual Basic VBX Control and C++ Class Library. The VBX Control enables developers using RAD tools to create applications that can interoperate at the enterprise level. The C++ Class Library provides the object-oriented programmer an alternative form of the CI API. Developers can choose to use the native C CIAPI language binding functions, the C++ class library, and/or the VBX control.

-- CI Quickstart Toolkit. This toolkit provides the basics and foundation for application design and programming techniques using the CI. CI Quickstart includes sample code, application templates and instructional documentation.

-- Application Developer's Toolkit. Standard utility routines, which can be embedded right into the application code, are provided in this toolkit. The set of routines provided involve the setup, calling, and return code analysis of the CI application programming interface.

-- CIview Toolkit. The utility programs available in this toolkit verify that the CI is installed correctly and that the configurations are working properly, through systems management diagnostics.

-- The CI Configurator. The CI Configurator is an extremely versatile, visual productivity and quality improvement tool that is included in the CI package at no additional charge. It helps systems and network administrators plan, design and maintain a virtual CI application network.

Covia Technologies will release several CI Component Integrators in 1995. These include:

-- CI2 for Database Access: These software components will allow concurrent access to the leading RDBMS environments for applications on CI logical networks. CT is targeting the first release of this product toward customers using Sybase databases, followed closely by Oracle RDBMS products.

(CI)2 for Lotus Notes. (CI)2 is a gateway-like application that allows non-Notes applications on the CI network to reliably interact with Lotus Notes applications.

(CI)2 for Terminal Managers. This facility permits legacy 3270 applications to participate in today's enterprise-wide distributed computing networks.

(CI)2 for Enterprise Managers. Initially for HP OpenView, this (CI)2 product allows the CI's manageability features to be used by middle level managers such as HP OpenView Network Node Manager, regardless of the underlying management protocol.

And finally, Covia Technologies will release:

The CI File Transfer Application. Similar to FTP and FTAM, this application provides a set of secure file transfer services. It can be initiated as a manually run application or triggered automatically by other applications or system timers.

Headquartered in Chicago, Covia Technologies sells the Communications Integrator; distributed applications, including travel and transportation operations software and expert system software; custom software solutions; network and facility systems integration services; and interoperability consulting services. The company operates as a division of Galileo International, and has offices in Rosemont, Ill, New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Swindon, England.

Note: The Communications Integrator is a registered trademark of Galileo International and holds U.S. Patent No. 5,317,568. All other products referenced are trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Covia Technologies, Rosemont

Laurel Nelson-Rowe, 708/518-4669

or

MarketWise Inc., Boulder

Elizabeth Wonnacott or Laura Elliott, 303/449-9224