"There is no middleware technology, we have no future!"
Golden Gate Strategy
In 1996, Borland's spotted software technology would begin to develop in the direction of middleware. Because Borland has always only
Development tool software, so how to face this software trend has become an important issue. At that time, Borland fell into one
Among the chaos, the new CEO Delbert Yocam has not yet entered the company, the development direction of the software and product line.
It is responsible for the Paul Gross, which is a borland r & D Director. July 1996, Paul Gross
And the person in charge of Delphi, Zack, jointly activated a new plan, and its purpose is to let Borland can
Maintain a high degree of competitiveness in the future software industry.
At that time, Borland had begun to develop in the business market. However, Borland lacks large-scale
Architecture technology, that is, the so-called middleware (MiddleWare). Middleware is usually very complicated, and
Multi-time can be developed, let alone middleware server needs to run on many different hardware platforms,
For example, Sun, HP, and IBM, etc., and then Borland is just a company that develops PC software, not only
There is no experience in the development of large machines, and there is no relevant hardware equipment to support development. despite this,
Borland and Paul know that in the future, middleware technology is definitely one of the main battlefields of software products. If Borland
Not early to develop this, it will never have a chance to grow into large-scale software companies. Therefore, Paul and Zack
Know that Borland must find a way to overcome all difficulties to obtain intermediate parts technology. Of course, the fastest way
It is a company that mergers with this technology and product. After looking for a while, Paul finally found it.
A software consultant in Boston. Although this company is not big, it has RPC (Remote)
Procedure Call The leader in the middleware market of communication protocol technology --entera.
RPC is a very long software technology that has developed very mature. ENTERA is largely large as HP
Use. So Paul wants to obtain Entera by merged this software consultancy company to get Entera
Borland is entered into the enterprise market. If Borland can integrate ENTERA and BORLAND development tools, then
Large companies may also start using Borland tools. This is a good opportunity for Borland.
Because of this, Borland can not only get the middleware technology, but also allow development tools into Borland.
It is difficult to enter the market.
On the occasion of Paul's heart, this time the Boston's software consultant has undergone problems, it is also looking for
Find a new source of funds, so it can be said to be a shot with Borland. Soon, Borland announced that Enter
a
Officially became one of Borland products. After PAUL decides to acquire ENTERA, I will activate Golden Gate immediately.
Strategy (Golden Gate Strategy), starting to ask Borland's development tools to be integrated with Entera. at the same time
Borland also started a large number of purchasing large hardware for the first time, preparing to develop ENTER, to this Borland via ENTERA
Officially entered a large and UNIX platform-based software market.
After Borland has obtained the middleware technology and the product, it is very happy to show Golden Gate Strategy.
Give the world, declaring Borland has become one of the leadership manufacturers of integration technology. At that time, Paul also dials a pen.
Budget, a movie film that promotes Borland Golden Gate Strategy, which is used by "We don't want to orthive the world, we just want to make it work better"
We don't want to have a world, just want it to work better). "I believe that many readers may remember this video.
Borland has entered a strange middleware market after obtaining ENTERA. Although Borland via ENTERA
Attempting to enter the corporate market, but strictly said that Entera is only aware of the company that Borland's signature is more.
Borland is not good in selling Entera, because Borland is not familiar with RPC technology at the beginning.
In addition, Borland's original sales system cannot successfully sell enterprise-class software because the new company
The system has not been established. Since Entera is not as good as the performance, almost only the old customers of Entera
Buy new version, Entera can't attract new customers. This is of course because of middleware technology in the market.
The mainstream has slowly converted to use CORBA and DCOM technology. So, soon, Borland will put Entera
Maintenance and development of new versions of the Work of the Borland Asia R & D center in Singapore.
After the Corba technology has been achieved, Borland has begun to truly master the middleware technology and gradually entered enterprises.
Industry market.
M & A Visigenic, get CORBA technology
Borland did not give up the determination to develop in the middle of the middleware attempts.
When the mainstream technology of the middleware of the corporate market turned to use CORBA, Borland saw the second opportunity.
When CORBA technology is gradually regarded as a star technology by the enterprise and PC, Iona and
Visigenic became the potential software company in many people's eyes. However, since Iona has already launched CORBA earlier
Products and have already have many customers, so Iona has grown very quickly. Instead, Visigenic is just established.
A small software company is still in a loss.
VisigeniC is founded by Mr. Roger Sippl. Roger Sippl is a very famous person in the information industry, because
For him is also the founder of Informix. People like Roger Sippl, known in the United States as "venture homes".
The character of this group is to have extremely keen, first-loud eyes, and constantly find new information opportunities to set up a software company.
Once the new company has a little outcome, it is immediately decisively selling the company in order to profit, and very little business
Company.
Roger Sippl created Informix, after having a little business results, immediately sold Informix,
Made a big earning, then try again to build other small companies to find opportunities and buyers. Visigenic is later Roger
Sippl is a small company established after CORBA technology. Borland see the potential of CORBA, but not enough
Money acquisition Iona, so it seems to have a small Visigenic scale. Borland finds Visigenic, expressed its willingness to
Millions of dollars and stock distribution rights purchase Visigenic, of course, Roger Sippl immediately agreed. Because
As soon as this, Roger Sippl can not only let Borland are responsible for Visigenic's liabilities, but also make a lot of
Cash and Borland's stock, why not!
So in November 1997, Borland officially purchased Visigenic, and Roger Sippl also became borland.
Time CIO. At that time, I would know that Roger Sippl must be temporary to serve Borland's CIO, the purpose is to help Borland's smooth reception of Visigenic product line. Once Borland is mastered, Roger Sippl
Safe immediately leave Borland and find new opportunities again. Sure enough, when Visigenic's product is stable in Borland
After that, Roger Sippl will leave the creation of other software small companies. However, for Borland,
This is not lost, because Borland is just a CORBA product of Visigenic. In 1998, I also
At the headquarters of Borland, SCOTT VALLEY listened to the Roger Sippl that has already been thankful, declared Borland.
The future of the future in the middle of the middleware market. That is also my last time I saw Roger Sippl. Borland got
After the CORBA product, there is no longer ruining the home production, but immediately put the resource development Borland's own CORBA.
Product line, that is, Visibroker. Soon, Borland has achievements. Netscape positive and Microsoft at the time
Fire to the highest point, Netscape decides in Netscape in order to increase the advantages of Navigator in the enterprise market
Internally built the CORBA client engine. After the Netscape evaluated the CORBA product of Iona and Borland, decided
With Borland's CORBA engine, because Borland has more complete CORBA like Iona.
Products and CORBA services, but Visibroker has the advantages of small size and fast execution, just right
Use in the client's browser.
When Netscape is looking for Borland, Borland is simply happy. Netscape at the time was in the same day.
Software companies, the world's number of people using Navigator browsers in the world exceeds millions. If Netscape is decided
Using Visibroker, Borland has not only get the largest customer, but also through Netscape's name
Immediately let people around the world, including enterprises, including Borland, knowing that Borland is
Ability to provide an enterprise-class software solution.
After consultation with the Netscape and Borland, there will be results immediately. Borland promises to authorize at very low price
Netscape uses Visibroker in Navigator. Although in this business negotiation, Borland almost
There is no earning head, but Borland has reached an extremely important situation. The first is through Netscape
Authorized use, Borland's Visibroker's share of the Corba market is immediately surpassed Iona; the second is
Visibroker has entered the corporate market through Navigator, and many large companies have begun to produce Visibroker.
I have born interest, so that the Visibroker broke through the Iona position in the field of financial and telecommunications, becoming more popular.
CORBA engine; the third point of course is Borland to promote Borland through Netscape this successful case
CORBA products, let Visibroker never shortly of Iona's products half.
After this successfully attacked the CORBA market, Borland finally began to let Iona face their own competition.
Opponent. This has also begun to have an endless CORBA battle between Borland and Iona, both parties in each CORBA application
The field killing is fierce, must be separated from high.
Of course, Borland's success also makes Patti and Zack's Golden Gate program more successful.
And in Paul and the requirements of Borland R & D Director Joe Bently, Delphi and C Builder also started supporting CORBA capabilities. The Golden Gate program gradually moves towards the stage, Borland finally
A blood road has been killed in the middleware technology.
Paul Gross's Angry and Golden Gate's crash
But unfortunately, when Delbert Yocam was played out of the Borland board in April 1999, he served as Borland.
The PAUL GROSS of R & D vice president has always thought that Borland's new CEO position should not be him, so start
Actively strive for CEOs. However, Borland's board of directors believes that if the company really wants to enter the corporate market,
A professional sales team must have a very experience in the sales field to serve as CEO. Paul Gross
Born in R & D, there is not much experience in sales, and it is impossible to build the required sales team for Borland. because
This, Borland Board decided to find new CEOs from the outside.
After you know the decision of the Borland Board, Paul Gross is very angry. Because he thinks Golden Gate
Strategy is his planning, Borland can enter the corporate market, get the middleware technology, because of his
Eyes and credits. Now the Borland board actually does not consider him from the new CEO, Paul Gross heart is full.
Resentment, the development of the Borland product line suddenly lost interest.
On the occasion of the new CEO, Microsoft is also known to be aware of the new CEO.
Paul GROSS contacts, want to know the trend of Paul Gross. At this time, when Paul Gross is most dissatisfied, because
This and Microsoft talks very much, soon prompt to Microsoft work. Since Paul is already in Borland
The Vice President of the R & D Department, so Microsoft promised to Paul's position is also the Microsoft Development Tool Department.
Vice President, responsible for Microsoft's Visual Studio and Internet research and development work. This is another
A Microsoft Direct Digital Borland talent to an example of a similar work. Paul GROSS
However, the role of vice president is taken away, and Microsoft gives Paul's treatment is also high, but and Anders Hejlsberg.
It is more than that is still too much. This also shows that the US pays attention to technical expertise, the treatment of senior management personnel is not necessarily
It will be higher than the first-stream of technicians.
Note: From Paul Gross cases, it seems that the fate of the technician can see. The highest staff member
Like the vice president, I want to do CEO is unlikely (unless it is a company you open by the person). This
is that true?
It seems that Paul Gross writes the wrong name in Gold Gate Strategy. Paul Gross is a total
The world, so add Microsoft, isn't it, paul?
With Delbert Yocam, Zack Urlocker, and Paul Gross, leave Borland, Golden
Gate Strategy has no one mentioned. Although Borland has already owned the original Golden Gate
STRATEGY
All software technology planned, but after Java has quickly rapidly and mastered the development of the company, the development of software
It has been moved to the Java application server market. This software trend also creates the rapid growth of BEA.
When Mr. Borland's next CEO Dale Fuller, he immediately put a large number of resources into the competition market of Java application servers. At this point, Golden Gate Strategy is officially formed into historical ash.
Go to the EJB position!
Although Borland gradually surpass Iona in the field of CORBA, and began to become a market leader, Java's
I am getting more prosperous and also begins to make CORBA face test. In the Windows platform, CORBA must also face Microsoft
Competition of COM / COM middleware technology. When Sun proposes Java's RMI technology, some of the CORBA does not understand
People began to advocate CORBA. They thought that Corba had already had a long time and complex technology.
May be replaced by RMI in Java. However, the facts will soon prove that RMI can't replace CORBA.
Don't say that the function of RMI and CORBA are simply nine bulls, let alone RMI's performance efficiency is not CORBA.
The opponent, therefore regardless of whether RMI can replace CORBA's debate quickly sailed.
However, when Sun puts forward the J2EE architecture to push EJB technology, many people do not optimize CORBA's destiny.
It is considered that CORBA's long way will be exhausted, and the Java world will eventually use EJB instead of CORBA. At first, Sun also thinks EJB
It is the best middleware technology that companies should use EJB to develop enterprise applications as middleware engines.
However, when Sun truly tried to hit EJB into the corporate market, it was found that CORBA has already been deeply rooted in the corporate market.
Many large application systems are developed using CORBA technology. If Sun wants to push EJB into the enterprise middleware
The mainstream, then EJB must be able to compatibility and communicate with CORBA. So later SUN has modified EJB specifications, let
It is compatible with CORBA to successfully solve large companies need to integrate CORBA and new EJB technology.
Borland has long found that Corba and EJB do not conflict, but high compatibility, CORBA cross-platform special
Sexuality is also ideal for implementing EJB functional specifications. So in 1999, Borland started using Visibroker.
As a research work for implementing the EJB server engine. Borland has made a huge cost in the middle of the market,
It is easy to have a good results in CORBA. If it is also taken away by EJB to take the mainstream of the middle market, then Borland
Isn't it a heavy loss? And Borland is easy to enter the middleware market through Golden Gate, from RPC,
Corba has come all the way, since it has been focusing in the middle of the market, there is no reason now because of EJB.
qiut the market. More importantly, Borland saw the potential of the future EJB market. If Sun really can put J2EE
Architecture is the core of a large-scale enterprise application, then master the manufacturer of EJB servers will have huge business opportunities.
This Borland can't give up this market anyway.
In order to become one of the leader in the EJB market, Borland did not hesitate to invest many resources to develop EJB service.
The product of the server and the resource source of the development tool and CORBA products continue to fund the EJB development group,
In order to flow as soon as possible, let Borland's next city in EJB's middleware technology market, laying Borland
In this field technology supreme status. However, things are developing but not as simple as Borland expectations.
Almost in the same period, the other two heavyweight vendors BEA and IBM also cast huge resources into EJB.
market. The way of the BEA is to quickly and acquire Tuxedo, and develop EJB servers as the engine in tuxedo; and IBM
It is the most abundant resource advantage, and the Java and EJB markets are in largest teams. Although Borland also puts a hugegar, Borland's "huge sums of money" and these two are not enough to look at it. Soon, bea and IBM have
Result. Of course, due to the relationship between the UNIX server battlefield, when the BEA and IBM launched the EJB server,
It is caused by large manufacturers such as HP to join EJB to fire. Sun naturally does not take care of it. A world-class war with EJB
Expand.
Such a fierce EJB battlefield is that the Borland may not be thought of. Enter the manufacturer of the middleware technology war
One size is more than a few times higher than Borland, or even hundreds of times. This large-scale snoring is before Borland
Not seen. Therefore, after Borland develops an EJB server engine, it is found in large middleware markets.
Not a light ratio technology and product. In addition to technology and products, it is also better than the visibility, professional service of the company.
Professional consultant consulting and professional sales team. In addition, there is a need for a large company resource to prepare a long-term consumption.
Fight.
It has been until I enter the EJB market, and Borland really understands how the opponents in this market are fighting. In order to
This cut-throat market survives, Borland has planned the third transition to build a professional for Borland.
The sales system is ready to play EJB war with different techniques. This is detailed in the evolution of Borland after slightly.
Fine description.
Is it strong enough to play?
In 2002, the middleware market has reached ripe and the moment of the last junction. Competition between EJB vendors
Can Borland survive in the EJB server market. Or Borland has become a coalition with BEA,
Other EJB competitors' last striker? This answer may be announced in 2003. However, no matter what,
The current Borland seems to find another line of life in the middle market, that is, the middle of the .NET platform
War. This story will be discussed in the chapter "EJB against CORBA? Interesting Hypothesis".
