Sybase Inc. and 3Com Corp. today formalized their earlier development work aimed at having Sybase's mobile database run on 3Com's Palm Computing operating system.
The two companies announced today in a release that they intend to work together on integrating Sybase's UltraLite deployment of its Adaptive Server Anywhere relational database with 3Com's Palm Computing operating system. The duo will then jointly market their development efforts to both end users and software development partners.
The idea in bringing together the two pieces of software, according to the companies, is to provide developers with a local SQL (structured query language) relational database specially geared to handle applications built for the Palm Computing operating system.
The kind of remote applications the two vendors envision that are particularly suited to the software setup include sales force automation and healthcare. In the latter field, the plan is for healthcare professionals to be able to directly input data on patients as they carry out bedside examinations into handheld devices.
The Palm Computing operating system is the basis for 3Com's Palm III and PalmPilot devices, IBM Corp.'s WorkPad PC Companion and the recently announced pdQ smartphone from Qualcomm Inc.
UltraLite, a subset of Sybase's Adaptive Server Anywhere low-end relational database, is currently in beta testing and is expected to become publicly available toward the end of this year. UltraLite allows users to synchronize the uploading and downloading of data from corporate databases and ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems via the Palm Computing operating system, Sybase said in a release.
In August of this year, Sybase and systems integrator Abaco International Group announced that they were developing a software combo, which included UltraLite, that would let SAP AG's ERP applications run on mobile and embedded devices. The companies, along with 3Com, Micron and emWare, demonstrated the technology at SAP's TechEd '98 event in Los Angeles last month.
Remote computing has increasingly become more of a focus for Sybase with the company setting up a Mobile and Embedded Computing division under leadership of Terry Stepien last week.
The main alternative to 3Com's Palm Computing operating system is Microsoft's Windows CE platform. Sybase is also beta testing a version of Adaptive Server Anywhere for the Microsoft platform which is due to be released shortly.
RELATED LINKS
Adaptive Server Anywhere overview from Sybase
Sybase creates mobile unit
To focus on mobile and embedded apps. Network World Fusion, 9/23/98.
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