Computer Associates touts new database

LAS VEGAS, Nevada--Computer Associates today announced a new version of its Jasmine object database software, featuring new 3D graphics and support for the company's "Neugents" technology.

Jasmine is a database and development tool package that supports all types of data, including video and audio, on corporate intranets and the Internet.

The updated version of the software, called Jasmine TND--as in "the next dimension"--helps businesses better manage their information, said CA's chairman and chief executive Charles Wang in a keynote speech at the Network+Interop networking technology conference.

CA's "Neugent" technology has been compared to so-called artificial intelligence software. Essentially, Neugents are a series of software "agents" distributed throughout the network that can analyze information and suggest business strategy to companies.

The 3D technology will help users better visualize information, CA executives said. For example, a user can call up a graphic of a human body, click on the brain, and get data on the brain, regardless of where it originated, from the Web or from a database, an executive said.

Jasmine will also feature support for more data sources, including email and directories, as well as databases and mainframes.

Jasmine TND was made available today in beta format for Windows NT. A final version for NT and Solaris are expected by mid-July, CA executives said. Versions for AIX, SGI and HP-UX will be a quarter behind, they said.

In other news, CA announced a new add-on for its systems management software, called Unicenter TNG, and its standalone network monitoring software, called NetworkIT Pro. The Application Response Option enables users to monitor the response time for all applications, Wang said.

Wang today also announced a partnership with SuSE Holding AG, a European Linux distributor. SuSE will bundle and distribute CA's Unicenter TNG Framework, with its Linux CD, while CA will include a free copy of SuSE's Linux with its Unicenter TNG Framework CDs in Europe.

CA had earlier struck a similar distribution agreement with Red Hat Software in the United States.