JADE 6.3 Embraces .NET

JADE 6.3 Embraces .NET and Introduces 64-Bit Edition 
 

Christchurch, New Zealand, 5 May 2009 - Jade Software Corporation (Jade) today announced the release of JADE 6.3, the latest version of its software platform for delivering targeted solutions to complex business problems.  New .NET interoperability and a native 64-bit edition extend JADE’s reputation for openness and enable customers with processor intensive systems to boost performance.  Also included is a Replication Framework, making it easier for developers to build mobile applications.

The .NET framework will create more opportunities for Jade to deliver solutions in mixed-technology environments and enables JADE customers to leverage existing .NET skills and investments.

Providing a .NET framework that encapsulates the Object Manager, Database and core programming model also allows .NET developers to take advantage of the server-side strengths of the JADE 6.3 platform.  Research and development of further .NET interoperability is now under way, including additional support for Language Integrated Query (LINQ) and Silverlight user interfaces. 

Introduction of a 64-bit edition delivers performance improvements for customers by taking full advantage of 64-bit hardware and operating systems.  Each application server can have a far greater memory address space, meaning that system administrators will be able to configure significantly larger object caches to improve system performance.  In performance tests using long-running CPU-bound tasks, systems experienced up to 30% improvements in execution speed.

JADE 6.3’s Replication Framework makes it easier for developers to build ‘disconnected’ or mobile applications, simplifying the definition, replication and resynchronisation of data from a server-side system to any number of offline clients.  In addition to disconnected replication, the framework is also useful for server-side applications that need to replicate data to other server-side JADE systems.

“JADE 6.3 offers a number of exciting enhancements for customers and partners.  We believe that opening up to the .NET community and all of the languages that .NET supports will encourage many .NET developers to take advantage of JADE to build distributed applications to manage complex data,” says Roger Jarquin, Jade’s Chief Technology Officer.  “The new release will also deliver improved processing performance for large enterprise customers, thanks to the 64-bit edition, while the Replication Framework offers new opportunities for developers to take applications mobile.” 

.NET framework allows customers to leverage existing .NET skills and investments

One customer already anticipating the benefits of JADE’s .NET interoperability is DB Schenker Rail UK, for whom Jade provides bespoke systems to manage train ordering, planning and operations in the UK and France.  “Within both the UK and European rail industry, any system in the train planning or operations area must interface with many other internal and external systems across a range of technologies,” explains Dr Dave Fidal, Operations Systems Portfolio Manager.  “To manage this complexity, we are committed to a best-of-breed approach, where system interfaces are aligned with process boundaries and then implemented using the most appropriate technology.”

“We have a strategic commitment to both JADE and .NET technologies, with .NET being used mainly for smaller systems that are developed in-house.  Because of this, the NET framework in JADE 6.3 is particularly exciting for us,” says Dr. Fidal.  “It will provide our internal developers with even more opportunities to leverage the investment we have made in our mission-critical JADE systems.”

64-bit edition promises performance boost

One customer eagerly awaiting the 64-bit edition is the UK’s Skipton Building Society.  As the fifth largest building society in the UK with more than £16bn of group assets, their nightly batch run requires intensive processing of a large amount of data. 

“Our nightly batch run across our six key environments executes 13,000 tasks and accesses at least 280 million objects, processing about 570GB of data,” says Mark Christensen, Senior Technical Analyst in Skipton’s Technical Services Team.  “Batch performance is a critical factor in many of our service level agreements, so we are always looking for opportunities to improve execution speed and reduce our batch window.  The 64-bit edition of JADE 6.3 is a compelling feature for us, especially the ability to hold more of our batch data in memory, and we are underway with performance testing to determine our optimum configuration.”

Replication Framework improves mobile application development

For development partner Greentree International, JADE’s Replication Framework supports the mobile ERP functionality which deploys core applications for field service, warehouse management and sales force support on PDA devices.  The mobile versions of Greentree’s ERP database, combined with the JADE Replication Framework, allow the back-end system and PDA applications to identify, capture and synchronise specific data changes, ensuring accurate and up to date information is available to both enterprise and mobile workers.

“The Replication Framework enables us to deliver a single database technology from the server to the PDA.  This avoids complex integration issues and provides our customers with a robust low-cost solution that is easier to administer,” explains Peter Dickinson, Greentree CEO.

“With JADE on Windows Mobile and the Replication Framework, we have been able to take the enterprise level capabilities of JADE and our Greentree applications into the mobile world.  In Greentree's mid-market sector this gives us a customer solution that no competitor can get close to.  This will be a defining differentiator for us for at least the next five years and totally reinforces Greentree’s original decision to dedicate itself to the JADE platform.”

JADE 6.3 for Windows, Linux and Windows Mobile is available for free download at www.jadeworld.com/jade.  Production systems for commercial use must be licensed separately.

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