BEA dresses up Tuxedo

BEA has released the latest version of its multi-environment transaction server, Tuxedo 8.1, with added support for web services and integration with WebLogic software.

The company said that closer integration with WebLogic Server and the WebLogic Workshop development environment meant that Tuxedo-based legacy business applications could now be web services-enabled.

Tuxedo 8.1 complements Java-based WebLogic by supporting a range of programming languages, including C, C++ and Cobol, on a variety of proprietary hardware.

Closer integration with WebLogic Server has also led to improved Tuxedo operations, including single sign-on and centralised security administration.

Clive Longbottom, service director at IT analyst Quocirca, said that enabling Tuxedo wasfor web services marked an important step forward for BEA.

"By opening it up and making it web services-enabled, they can make any application sitting on top of the WebLogic environment interact with Tuxedo in a far closer manner than before," he said.

Tuxedo previously interacted with WebLogic via specific connectors, but interaction via web services is far quicker and needs much less integration, explained Longbottom.

By sticking to web services standards, Tuxedo could also just as easily be plugged underneath any other application server, such as IBM WebSphere or Sun's N1, he added.

"While it is important that BEA provides tighter integration between Tuxedo and its own WebLogic products, it is also important that it plays to the best-of-breed market, and supporting web services means it can play that game," said Longbottom.

Tuxedo, originally developed by AT&T, is now 20 years old.

In a separate announcement, BEA said that it has acquired CrossLogix, a privately held enterprise authorisation software company.

The acquisition forms part of BEA's ongoing effort to bring superior application security on WebLogic Enterprise Platform, the company said.