Tibco targets federal contracts
The software maker teams with GemStone Systems in a reseller partnership aimed at addressing homeland security concerns.
Tibco and GemStone Systems have released a jointly developed product combining each company's middleware programs, the software companies said Wednesday. GemStone will resell Tibco's messaging and workflow software as part of the partnership, and Tibco is reselling GemStone's data-caching technology.
The new software program, called Enterprise Services Solution, is designed to give government agencies timely access to information stored within their business systems and enable them to share data with other agencies, the companies said.
The product gives agencies "the ability to efficiently gather, process and analyze massive amounts of data for rapid, well-informed response against threats to formulate best practices and preventative measures and to facilitate interagency cooperation," Tibco said in its announcement of the program.
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, some government agencies have come under scrutiny for relying on outdated computer systems for intelligence gathering and national security efforts. Meanwhile, many software companies, suffering from weak business spending on information technology, have introduced homeland security-related products in an attempt to capitalize on growing federal IT budgets.
Tibco rival WebMethods has similar aims. It launched a new unit last year to target government contracts.
Observers say it's a savvy business strategy.
"Government agencies say they want to cooperate and interoperate more than in the past, and integration middleware is one way for agencies to do that while leveraging information systems they've already bought," said Norma Schroder, a Gartner analyst. "That should be an attractive story to the government."
Tibco and GemStone have selected IT services firm Raba Technologies to provide installation services for the joint product.