Applying MDA to Service-Oriented Architectures
Spun off from Siemens in 2000, AGiLiENCE is focuses on providing XML data store technology for disconnected, laptop, and small footprint devices. Originally focused on building knowledge management (KM) systems for service-centric businesses, such as professional services companies, the company began looking at ways to provide software and services that innovated processes to increase service productivity and quality. Service-centric businesses workers need effective data storage, content management, and collaboration solutions to meet their needs, but AGiLiENCE found that the current set of enabling tools such as RDBMS, Content Management, and other server-centric solutions were inadequate. Knowledge workers collaborated in many complex ways that proved too complex, rigid, or expensive for these systems to solve.
The advent of XML provided a new means for representing knowledge in a way that was both portable and inexpensive. However, the storage technologies available at the time weren’t able to cope with small, disconnected, and limited-power devices that were prevalent in KM environments. The result is a unique product called XPEERION that blends a potent XML data store with a tiny footprint aimed at distributed, “sometimes-connected” data storage needs. XPEERION was created as a small-footprint “Intelligent XML Processor” in order to support problem solving for a mobile service field-force at the customer site. Mobile service field forces require time-critical applications that fundamentally reside on their devices at their point of need – service delivered independent of location and connectivity.
Originally sold as part of a much larger Knowledge Management and Collaboration suite, AGiLiENCE is now offering XPEERION for third-party device application embedded applications. As such, AGiLiENCE is seeking to expand its partner relationships in order to help others gain the benefit of a small footprint, native XML data store.