IBM gets small with messaging software

IBM expanded its efforts today to allow remote workers to link to corporate networks with handheld devices by announcing a tiny version of its MQSeries business messaging software.

IBM--along with Oracle, Microsoft, Sybase and others--have targeted the mobile device market with mini databases as more people work remotely and handheld devices and the Internet have become more popular.

As reported earlier, IBM has a mobile database--called DB2 Everywhere--in the works that will link handheld devices to corporate servers, Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes. With the mobile database installed, users of handheld devices can replicate and synchronize data with corporate databases.

"Bringing together MQSeries and DB2 on these devices, companies can easily build extensions of their enterprise applications and equip their personal digital assistants with more than just calendars and email," said Rob Lamb, IBM's MQSeries business unit executive.

The small version of MQSeries, called MQSeries Everywhere, will come in two sizes: a 50K version and a 200K version. The difference is the larger version includes software that can store and queue messages when the handheld device is not connected to the corporate network, Lamb said. When it's reconnected, it will send the messages automatically. With the smaller version, users will have to resend the message, he said.

Lamb said handheld-device maker Psion has signed on to use IBM's MQ Series and DB2 software for their devices this fall. Psion will also use IBM's 340 Mbyte micro hard drive.

A beta version of MQSeries Everywhere will ship this third quarter. The company has not announced when the final product will ship.