A handful of systems and software vendors announced partnerships today that aim to ease the deployment and use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications.
Oracle said it will bundle manufacturing and financial management applications with Windows NT- and Unix-based systems from Hewlett-Packard. Meanwhile, Microsoft has teamed with tools vendor Frontec AMT to allow companies to link SAP AG's R/3 applications easier with legacy systems.
ERP applications are designed to make it easier for companies to automate their business operations, providing a way to share information across departments and collect advanced reporting and analysis information.
Oracle and HP are targeting midsize companies by bundling a select set of Oracle Applications, including its manufacturing and financial management software, with HP's Windows NT-based NetServer systems. Due for release in the fourth quarter, the systems will come preconfigured with Oracle's ERP software, and the package includes consulting and customer support services, HP and Oracle said.
The release will be followed early in 1999 by a similar package based on HP's Unix-based 9000 Enterprise servers. HP said a new technology in its 9000 servers will allow it to offer customers guaranteed levels of system reliability in the Unix machines. Called Web Quality of Service, HP says the technology will guarantee a 99.5 per cent system uptime.
Frontec and Microsoft, meanwhile, will target SAP R/3 customers and systems integrators by bundling Frontec's AMTrix application integration software with Microsoft's SQL server database management system. Designed to run on the Windows NT platform, the tools will make it easier for customers to integrate their legacy applications with SAP R/3, Microsoft said.
