The State of Java Report: IBM

By NC.Focus



The State of Java Report identifies for readers the leading Java solutions, industry trends, and critical factors regarding adoption. With the rapid pace of change in the Java community, it is inevitable that strong solutions today will be overcome by competitors’ solutions in a very short time. Furthermore, since the state of Java is in constant flux, these reports focus on those components that should be immediately adopted and those that require a wait-‘n’-see approach. The State Of Java Report provides the most timely and up-to-date information about Java in the computing marketplace.

Executive Overview

The industry-at-large need not fear Microsoft co-opting Java and splintering write-once run-anywhere. IBM has already demonstrated its ability to secure Java’s fate in the enterprise by delivering crucial components, even across Microsoft platforms. The analogy of the difficulty in turning an aircraft carrier (IBM) vs. turning a cruise ship (Microsoft) is applicable in this situation. Microsoft has received considerable, and well deserved, acclaim for their rapid turnabout in adopting both the Internet and Java, but few have recognized the same, considerably larger, feat happening inside IBM. Not only has IBM focused its attention on delivering solutions for the Network/Java Computing universe, but it has finally stepped across product and division lines to develop a powerful single-vendor solution.

Java is clearly an integral part of IBM’s future, but understanding Java’s role in IBM’s solutions for distributed computing requires a rich overview of its entire electronic commerce offering. At the heart of IBM’s electronic commerce strategy is the Network Computing Framework (NCF). NCF is a set of client and server software that is tightly integrated to provide ease of implementation and various levels of scaling options. Of the NCF, Java is but one small component that will provide the application layer functionality. That is, Java is the glue that will integrate IBM’s heterogeneous computing platform solution.

With many operating system vendors ramping up considerable Java efforts, IBM needs to define, and clearly state, its marketable differentiation. Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Novell, and Sun Microsystems will all be competing with IBM across some subsection of a horizontal market. Each of these aforementioned vendors, in addition to IBM, are putting considerable time and energy into establishing their operating system platform(s) as "The Java Platform." Of note, if there is, or will be, a Java platform of choice, Java will have proved itself valuable to consumers by forcing these vendors into a price/performance/value competition.

IBM’s number one advantage is its combination of experience, products, and services. Above all else, this combination will entice many enterprise customers to adopt an IBM solution. Distributed computing is just emerging as a dominant force in the enterprise, due in part to advances brought about by Internet awareness. Few organizations can afford the time and effort required to, first, understand this emerging shift in computing, and secondly, to rely on a multiple vendor solution to provide them with their early Internet advances. Of course, the key to success for IBM is to provide a consistent and unbeatable set of services on all of their operating system and hardware platforms. Moreover, IBM must identify for each of their platforms a primary reason for adoption and the level to which it scales.

With such a diverse portfolio of operating systems and hardware, IBM’s customers have understandable expectations for a solution relative to a particular platform. Going forward, IBM’s customers will be able to choose from OS/2 on Intel, AIX on RS/6000, OS/400 on AS/400, and OS/390 on S/390. Providing a consistent set of services across this portfolio, inclusive of Java, will yield extreme variances in execution performance. With respect to Java, each of these platforms will enhance the Java computing platform either in services, speed, or both. Hence, for IBM, Java becomes a platform amplifier, not a platform equalizer.

A basic market assumption being made today is that all applications written in Java are designed for write-once run-anywhere–not true! Java represents a well-designed object-oriented programming language and standard application programming library; therefore, it is also suitable for platform-dependent application development. That is, why should an organization use one language/API set for write-once run-anywhere and an entirely different language/API set for platform-specific development? There is no clear reason for doing so, except in the cases where performance is crucial and could only be satisfied by lower-level programming languages such as Assembler.

Therefore, a set of Java applications will exist that is specifically designed to run on one particular hardware/operating system platform. With this established, operating system vendors will need to ensure that their Java platforms are 100% compatible with the JavaSoft-defined standard, but that they also provide native access to required operating system and hardware functionality. For the moment, Microsoft Corporation is the leader in providing native integration between the operating system and Java code; however, this lead will not last long. Microsoft’s compliance with JavaSoft’s standards are waning. Meanwhile, IBM is now working on native functionality for their OS/390, AS/400, AIX, and OS/2 operating systems. The fruits of this labor will be delivered between fourth-quarter 1997 and first-quarter 1998, along with 100% JavaSoft compliant Java virtual machines.

One overriding factor regarding IBM that impressed NC.Focus immensely was IBM Executive Management’s enthusiasm and excitement toward this initiative. From the perspective of an organization looking for a vendor to partner with on their Java endeavor, IBM is by far the most advanced in terms of depth of understanding, platform support, but most importantly, commitment. While Sun Microsystems may be the creator and keeper of Java, IBM is the true driving force behind enterprise adoption of this new technology platform. Moreover, the synergy between Sun Microsystems as creator and IBM as an implementor and driver has forged an alliance that will prove to be the single most deterministic partnership for the future of distributed computing.

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About the Authors:

NC.Focus is a research and analysis firm that concentrates on the Network/Java Computing marketplace. NC.Focus services include the In The Final Analysis ... Newsletter, in-depth technical reports, and on-site consulting. For additional inquiries contact J. P. Morgenthal at (516) 792-0997 or electronically at jp@itfa.com . Additional information can also be obtained from their web site at www.itfa.com .



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