In brief: Microsoft snaps up SQL reporting

Plus: Open Text to beef up content management; PKWare bolsters secure data compression.

Microsoft last week said it acquired privately held ActiveViews to improve its business intelligence offerings. ActiveViews developed a query and reporting system that Microsoft plans to add to its SQL Server Reporting Services.

The technology lets end users access business data stored in databases and create and modify reports. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. The ActiveViews technology will be part of a future release of SQL Server Reporting Services, but Microsoft could not say if it would be part of SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services.

Open Text this month plans to launch Livelink Web Content Management Server, its first integrated, enterprise content management software since acquiring document-imaging and content-archiving vendor IXOS and content management provider Gauss.

The server brings together team collaboration, document management, records management, process workflows and other enterprise content management capabilities. Open Text this fall will integrate features for managing, tracking and storing e-mail. The company also is expected to add content archiving for Livelink. Pricing for the server was not announced.

PKWare last week announced SecureZIP for Windows 8.0, desktop software that can enforce requirements for encryption-based signing and data compression, based on corporate security policies. The software costs $100 per seat, with lower prices based on volume.

PKWare also announced PKZIP 8.0 for Windows, $34.95-per-seat software for enforcing ZIP-based compression on e-mail and other files.