Oracle adds standard to server software

Oracle on Thursday said its application server software now supports a popular e-business standard, making it easier for companies to conduct business over the Web.

The business software company said its Oracle9i Application Server adopts standards defined by RosettaNet, an

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electronic business standards consortium. The consortium, which has more than 450 members, including Intel, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM, specializes in Web standards for exchanging data over the Internet using Extensible Markup Language (XML).

RosettaNet, which was founded in 1998, recently became a subsidiary of the Uniform Code Council, which develops standards for the retail industry.

RosettaNet is one of several organizations defining XML and Web-based standards for electronic commerce applications. Others include the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, or OASIS, along with the World Wide Web Consortium and the Web Services Interoperability Organization.

The addition of the RosettaNet standards means that Oracle's application server could be more appealing to retailers and other businesses. "For organizations looking to exploit business-to-business functionality within the context of their application server" this product will be helpful, said Stephen O'Grady, an analyst at RedMonk.

Oracle said its Oracle9iAS Integration, the built-in integration technology in the application server, is compatible with RosettaNet's guidelines for managing trading partners, secure communications, and other transaction processes.

The company said the upcoming Oracle9i Application Server will help eliminate the need for proprietary programming skills by providing one tool to define, create and connect business processes. The tools will also allow information technology managers to monitor and analyze the integration process.

Oracle9i Application Server Integration will be bundled with an upcoming release of the application server, due by midyear.