In-Depth
Industry Watch
Sun Acquires Cobalt
Sun Microsystems Inc. has completed the acquisition of Cobalt Networks Inc., a provider of server appliances for Internet service providers, application service providers and small- to medium-sized businesses. In accordance with the terms of the acquisition, each share of Cobalt Common Stock was converted into one share of Sun Common Stock, after adjusting for the 2-for-1 forward stock split effected by Sun on December 6, 2000, in the form of a stock dividend on all then outstanding shares of Sun Common Stock. Cobalt Networks products extend Sun's network computing leadership to server appliances. For more information, visit http://sun.com.
Diversinet and Openwave Tackle Mobile Security
Diversinet Corp. announced the completion of an agreement with Openwave Systems Inc., the combination of Phone.com and Software.com, to embed Diversinet's WAP-compliant root certificate into the Openwave UP.Browser microbrowser, adding increased security for users in the WAP environment.
By way of the agreement, all WAP 1.2.1-compliant handsets shipped by Openwave's UP.Browser licensees will include Diversinet's root certificates, which are compliant with the WAP Forum's Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS Class II). The enhanced security provided by Diversinet's root certificates will also support Openwave's Secure Enterprise Proxy. The Secure Enterprise Proxy provides complete, standards-based end-to-end security for the delivery of wireless Internet content and applications to mobile handsets using Internet Protocol (IP), and works with all currently available wireless data standards, including GSM, CDMA, TDMA, iDEN and CDPD networks. In addition, the solutions will work with GPRS and 3G technologies, once they are fully realized. For more information, visit www.openwave.com, or www.dvnet.com.
ebXML to Preview Early
The United Nations CEFACT and OASIS recently announced that the core technical infrastructure of ebXML, the Electronic Business XML Initiative, nears completion and will be delivered in March -- two months ahead of schedule. The technical specifications for the transport, routing and packaging (TRP), trading partner agreements (TPA) and registry/repository (REG/REP) components of ebXML provide the required pieces to ensure interoperability based on XML standards for global business on the Internet.
Cisco, Fujistu, IBM, Interwoven, IPNet, Netfish Technologies, NTT Communications, Savvion, Sterling Commerce, Sun Microsystems, TIE, Viquity and XMLSolutions collaborated to build an interactive implementation of ebXML interoperability. For more information, visit their Web site at www.ebXML.org.