Artix 2.1, IONA Technologies' Web services integration software, rode the service orientation craze all the way to the Gold Award.

Deemed an enterprise service bus (ESB), the software not only allows enterprises to expose existing systems as Web services endpoints, but leaves the door open to interoperability with other middleware developed on disparate systems. No changes to existing systems are required, enabling J2EE and .NET developers, for example, to continue to use those development tools.

Version 2.1, released in July, featured enhancements to its run time and development environments. Support was added for more operating systems, including Linux, as well as incorporating the ability to handle new payload formats, C++ supports and new command line tools and graphical user interface. New security features keep a handle on protocols and data formats, while connecting legacy security models with those developed in .NET and J2EE.

Enterprise interest in service-oriented architectures and Web services soared to new heights in 2004, as companies attempt to streamline development, realize efficiency in their application environments, cut costs and add to overall productivity.

Artix 2.1 scored well with the judges in value, innovation and ease of use.

Artix developer kits are $1,500 per seat and runtime licenses begin at $5,000 per CPU.

Michael S. Mimoso,