MNR Solutions debuts introduces JDBC 3.0

DataDirect Technologies, the leading provider of components for connecting data and applications, today announced the general availability of DataDirect Connect JDBC 3.0. The new Type 4 JDBC drivers deliver the industry`s first JDBC 3.0 solution for connecting Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) applications to data running on all major databases, including DB2, Informix, Oracle, SQL Server and Sybase. Connect JDBC 3.0, which includes the most comprehensive software developer`s toolkit (SDK) for JDBC development on the market, allows customers to more rapidly and easily develop, test and deploy new Java applications requiring access to enterprise databases.

As a J2EE Licensee and one of the strategic partners working with Sun to write the original JDBC specification, DataDirect Technologies is the industry`s leading provider of JDBC drivers. Connect JDBC 3.0 enables developers to best leverage the new JDBC 3.0 specification through:

* Improved developer productivity with support for additional data types, expanded metadata and the latest DBMS features including Oracle 9i, Informix 9.3 and SQL Server 2000.

* More robust production applications with enhanced connection pooling, new statement pooling and server-side scrollable cursors.

* Expanded interoperability with extensions for J2EE Java Connector Architecture (JCA) support for application and data integration.

"The latest JDBC specification - version 3.0 - is fundamentally about improving developer productivity and expanding enterprise capabilities so that developers can build, integrate and deploy more robust enterprise applications," said Vijay Sarathy, senior product marketing manager, J2EE Integration, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "We are pleased to have DataDirect Technologies` continuing contributions to the Java community as a J2EE Licensee with the release of the Connect JDBC 3.0 drivers."

Industry analysts agree that the J2EE platform and XML as a standard have crossed the chasm to become essential infrastructure components for developing and deploying enterprise and Internet applications. Recent GIGA Information Group polling results from Giga`s 2001 Emerging Technology Scene indicate substantial focus on the Java platform for current and future Web Services development and deployment - up to 70% of those polled are focused on the J2EE platform vendors, with the rest on .NET. Gartner Group trends show that organisations are focused on ROI-driven strategies for Web Services, leveraging existing enterprise assets. To capitalise on these trends, organisations will require a way to transform their existing database assets transparently into XML within the J2EE platform through standards such as JDBC.

To best leverage the new JDBC specification and address these market trends, DataDirect Connect JDBC 3.0 comes with the industry`s most comprehensive software developer`s kit, comprised of:

* JDBCTest - a graphical, menu-driven tool that helps developers design more efficient JDBC code, shortening the application development lifecycle.

* Spy - a tool specifically designed to trace calls in running applications to help developers debug and optimise JDBC applications, streamlining the development process.

* jXTransformer - a software connectivity component that helps developers dynamically transform data between relational databases and XML in JDBC applications.

"As the first vendor to ship commercial JDBC drivers, DataDirect Technologies is committed to the JDBC standard and to ensuring that our customers can maximise time-to-market with new applications as the standard evolves," said John Goodson, vice president of Product Operations for DataDirect Technologies. "We`ve put an emphasis on providing developers with the tools they need to quickly and effectively integrate J2EE applications and corporate databases."