Hummingbird’s Version 7s Fly to Market
Bridgingthe gap between Unix file servers and Windows NT/2000 desktops is a challengefor enterprise computing. With the version 7 releases of its host accessintegration products, Hummingbird has lessened the burden.
Hummingbird,initially a connectivity products vendor, has concentrated on growing in thehost access and PC server space. Version 7 of Exceed and the NFS Maestro familyare bolstering Hummingbird’s position in this market.
Severalenhancements to the products have updated them for the rapidly changing networksemployed in many enterprises.
Theproducts are focused on the end user, says Sami Hero, senior director ofproduct marketing at Hummingbird. New Xstart load optimization in Exceed --Hummingbird’s PC X server -- reports on how many users are tapping eachapplication, and offers a choice of which server to load applications from.Exceed 7.0 also includes 3-D enhancements and a developers’ kit.
Exceed 7.0adds font server caching on local machines, single sign-on to Unix/Linux and Xapplications, and support for GLX 1.3 OpenGL.
NFS Maestrois Hummingbird’s PC-to-enterprise integration platform. NFS Maestro Serverallows Unix workstations and network-attached NFS computers to access WindowsNT-based servers. New features include the diversification of the product linewith the release of NFS Maestro Client, Solo, and Gateway, which provideinteroperability between Windows, Unix, NFS, and other desktop operatingsystems and disparate file server platforms. Additionally, NIS and NIS+ supporthas been stepped up in the new version for better communication between clientsand servers. The additions of a GSS API -- the Kerberos protocol -- as well asname and attribute caching for Windows 95 and 98 round out the new feature set.
Futureofferings from Hummingbird will include a product to automate telnet accessfrom the Web, as well as an e-toolkit to enable application collaboration anddata integration.
Index: HummingbirdLtd., North York, Ontario, www.hummingbird.com