Plumtree overhauls flagship portal line

Plumtree last week began rolling out a major new version of its portal software product line, including new bundling options, broader platform support and a stand-alone product the company intends as the first in a line of customized industry applications.

"Of all the releases we've done in the past, this is the one where we've literally gone top to bottom with the product and made everything better," says Andrew Dunning, director of product marketing at Plumtree.

At the heart of Plumtree's G6 line is its flagship Plumtree Foundation software for building corporate portals. The new version includes features aimed at easing application development, including new debugging tools, an Asynchronous JavaScript and XML API, simplified user interface customization tools and enhanced configuration utilities.

Plumtree also is extending deployment options for its Java-based software. G6 is currently certified for Windows and RedHat Linux. Within the next few months it will be certified for SuSE Linux, Solaris and AIX as well, Plumtree says. In addition to Internet Explorer, G6 supports the Firefox, Netscape and Safari browsers.

Plumtree is creating three different bundles for its applications suite: a Portal bundle focused on its Foundation software; a Community bundle that adds collaboration, and simple application creation tools for building functionality such as polls and surveys; and an Application package that adds a new product, Plumtree Process, for managing and automating business processes. Plumtree Process is based on business process management technology that Plumtree licensed from Fuego. Plumtree's Portal suite is priced at $267 per user, while its Community suite is priced at $344 per user and its Application suite is priced at $396 per user, plus $38,000 per processor for the Plumtree Process module.

Plumtree also unveiled its first vertical application, High Performance Store Management Application (HiPer), a retail-focused portal it co-developed with a customer, restaurant chain Applebee's. HiPer, a stand-alone application, is now in use at Applebee's and will be available to other retailers by year-end.

Plumtree will soon be subsumed by BEA Systems, which agreed in August to buy Plumtree for around $200 million. Plumtree's Dunning says he doesn't expect the acquisition to cause any disruptions for customers.