BEA joins forces with HP on Linux

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BEA Systems on Monday announced a deal with Hewlett-Packard to promote Linux, while laying out plans for its newly released WebLogic Platform Java server software.

Executives from BEA formally introduced WebLogic Platform 8.1 at a press conference in San Francisco, calling the revamped product a key weapon in the highly competitive market for Java-based tools and software. BEA's most formidable rival is IBM, which snared the market share lead for Java-based software that is used to build and run custom business applications.

The server software company's most important ally in its battle against IBM is HP, its long-standing partner. In May, HP announced that it will resell BEA's WebLogic Platform and provide services for WebLogic software on a range of HP operating systems.

On Monday, HP and BEA extended their relationship to promote Linux in corporations. The partners will create bundles of software, hardware and associated services that will make it easier for companies to move their systems to Linux-based applications, said Ann Livermore, executive vice president of HP's services organization.

Business software maker Siebel Systems and supply chain application company Manugistics were among many companies that announced plans Monday to embed BEA's software within their own wares or build add-ons to the WebLogic Platform.

BEA executives said that future product enhancements for WebLogic Platform will focus on security and application management.

The company, based in San Jose, Calif., will be using application security technology it gained through the acquisition of CrossLogix earlier this year as the foundation for a security "framework," said Rick Jackson, vice president of product and solutions marketing at BEA. The security features will allow Java programmers to authenticate people and authorize access to data and give network administrators tools to change security policies without having to rewrite existing code, he said.

In the area of application management, Jackson said BEA is placing priority on simplifying the installation and use of custom applications, and on improving the single administration tool for the different components of WebLogic Platform.