Web services outfits merge

Start-up firms Actional and Westbridge Technology combined forces Monday, becoming the latest in a series of mergers and acquisitions in the fledging Web services management field. The merged companies, which will operate under the Actional name, intend to create a consolidated offering that will include Actional's application management software and Westbridge's security hardware.

Both companies have built their products to specifically deal with Web services protocols, a set of industry XML-based guidelines meant to provider greater interoperability between applications. The integrated products, which will be released within 30 days and called SOA Command and Control Platform, will be designed to give companies a way to track Web services application performance, provide secure network access and troubleshoot problems. Actional said the tools will simplify the job of setting up a services oriented architecture (SOA), a computing system design meant to lower operating costs and add flexibility. As part of the merger, existing venture investors added $12.9 million in funding.