XML software company Infoteria Corporation today announced it has partnered with Digital Design Inc., a custom hardware manufacturer, to deliver the first appliance available for accessing B2B electronic marketplaces/exchanges. The compact disc-based B2B Appliance, built with Infoterias software, will include all hardware and software necessary to enable small- and mid-sized companies to access e-marketplaces without the large IT investment that is typically required to trade on those marketplaces. The first version will allow any user to connect to any electronic marketplace built on RosettaNets framework.
Smaller companies that use B2B Appliance to access e-marketplaces will benefit because they can be more competitive with large companies as suppliers, partners and customers. By using the B2B Appliance as an on-ramp to trading communities, smaller companies will now be able to compete with larger suppliers for partners and customers on a level playing field. With the B2B Appliance, users gain access to an electronic marketplace by inserting that marketplaces framework CD, such as Aribas CBL or Microsofts BizTalk. Tim Browne, co-CEO of Infoteria, said, Any company no matter the size can now benefit from participation in a B2B exchange, without having to expend costly IT resources.
B2B exchanges are becoming increasingly popular as companies work to increase the efficiency of their supply chains. By creating an infrastructure based on shared business rules, trading partners can conduct business electronically in an easy, automated fashion. This is the same principle that led to the development of electronic data exchange (EDI) systems, a costly approach that requires soup-to-nuts customization. Todays electronic exchange technology is increasingly based on open standards, with XML playing a key role in alleviating the differences in data coding between companies and to facilitate exchanges. Digital Design is a leader in Linux-based hardware development, said Kazuhiko Terai, President of Digital Design Co. Ltd. Our extensive experience with open source software has enabled us to build a B2B appliance that is not only easy to use, but secure.
Based on Linux, the new B2B Player is designed for ease of use and to be very low-maintenance. Software updates will be performed via CD reboot, making the upgrade as simple as putting in a new CD. In this way, compatibility is ensured as different frameworks and vocabularies gain acceptance in the marketplace and as current frameworks evolve to include more and more business document types and rules.
