Covalent Technologies(TM) Releases Enterprise Ready Server(TM) 3.0

Covalent Technologies™, the most trusted source for complete enterprise open source solutions, today announced the release of Enterprise Ready Server™ (ERS) 3.0, a new version of the company's widely distributed Web infrastructure stack in Fortune 500 enterprises.

Covalent's Enterprise Ready Server includes the Apache HTTP Web Server and the Apache Tomcat Application Server, among the most popular Open Source components in the world today. ERS 3.0 merges Enterprise Ready Server with Covalent's Fast Start™ Server offering, bringing together the Apache 2.0 and 1.3 Web servers into a single package for the first time. In addition, ERS 3.0 includes two releases of Apache Tomcat. Customers can deploy Tomcat 4.1 or the current Tomcat 5.0 release, with support for Tomcat 5.5 available in the very near future. Customers can also mix and match Apache and Tomcat versions to suit their specific business-critical requirements. ERS 3.0 includes full PHP and mod_perl support and provides an industry-standard protocol for efficiently transferring files over a TCP/IP network using FTP.

"Covalent Enterprise Ready Server 3.0 is the most comprehensive enterprise solution for Apache Web server management. It improves service quality and provides heightened security by embracing Apache for enterprise use," says William Rowe, Senior Engineer for Covalent Technologies and member of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). "Because of Apache's standards-based interoperability, Covalent ERS 3.0 is ready to serve as the presentation layer for all major application servers and Web-based applications, reducing the complexities and costs associated with managing mixed-source enterprise Web infrastructures."

"Covalent provides Freddie Mac with a complete package -- capable and flexible technology together with superior support," said Steve Manning, vice president of Computer and Network Operations at Freddie Mac, one of the nation's largest investors in residential mortgages. "Having worked with Covalent's Enterprise Ready Server for over three years, we look forward to taking advantage of the new features included in version 3.0. We're embracing open-source technologies like those available through Covalent and as a result are building the flexibility and speed to meet the changing needs of our internal and external customers."

"Covalent Enterprise Ready Server is a very stable and well-supported solution for our mission-critical Web infrastructure requirements," says Devesh Patel, Consulting Network Engineer for TIAA-CREF, a financial services organization and leading provider of retirement security in the academic, medical and cultural fields. "Covalent ERS enables us to more effectively manage Apache and leverage its modular extensions such as FTP. The installation is fast and efficient, and set up and configuration is much simpler with the graphical interface."

Uniting Two Versions of Apache into a Single Package

Prior to ERS 3.0, the Apache 1.3 Web server was only available in the Covalent Fast Start software package and Apache 2.0 was only offered with Covalent's Enterprise Ready Server. Now, for the first time, there will be a single package providing the option to deploy either Apache 1.3, Apache 2.0, or both versions of the Apache Web server. The two versions can coexist on the same machine, working as separate instances, or in conjunction with each other using mod_proxy.

Installshield® X Utilized as Package Installer

ERS 3.0 utilizes Installshield® X as the package installer enabling Covalent to design a single installation tool to target all supported platforms. The installer works in two ways: the primary installer distributes the binaries and packaging to the target machine; the secondary installer creates an instance of ERS on the machine in the user's chosen configuration. The secondary installer can be invoked multiple times to create multiple instances of ERS on the same machine in different configuration.

Additional Benefits of Enterprise Ready Server 3.0

Covalent ERS 3.0 offers fast installation and easy setup and deployment through an easy-to-use Apache GUI. Additional benefits include:

-- Streamlined installation of Apache and modules: ERS 3.0 enables
automated installation of popular Apache modules for dynamic content and
server management, including mod_ssl, mod_proxy, mod_snmp, mod_cache, and
mod_jk.
-- Java server functionality: ERS 3.0 includes the J2SE environment,
which contains several of the API's suitable for enterprise use. Also
supplied is the Jakarta Tomcat software module to enable Java server
capabilities with both Java servlets and JSP (Java server pages).
-- Easy integration into existing Apache installations without
aggravation: ERS 3.0 provides seamless integration with existing Apache
infrastructures through its support of Dynamic Shared Objects (DSO).
Different server instances can be run with a single Apache installation;
easily extended with third-party modules, even after installation.
-- Multiple virtual hosts provision: Covalent provides a generous license
agreement based on a one license per server requirement; helping control
costs, while allowing the hosting of multiple secured sites on each server.
-- Extendable selection of development platforms: ERS 3.0 enables
flexibility in choosing the development platform that best suits needs,
including PHP, and Perl.
-- Secure FTP transmissions with SSL: ERS 3.0 supports RFC 2228 for FTP
transmissions over SSL, providing an industry standard protocol of
efficiently transferring files over a TCP/IP network using FTP. Both
implicit and explicit SSL connections are supported for the widest
compatibility with commercial FTP client software.

Platform Support and Availability
Covalent ERS 3.0 is available on Solaris, Linux, HPUX, IBM AIX, and Windows and may be purchased as a commercial license or through an annual subscription plan. For more information on enhancing your Web server infrastructure, contact Covalent Technologies at 925/974-8800 or 800/444-1935 or via email at sales@covalent.net.

About Covalent Technologies

Covalent Technologies is the leading provider of products and services for Apache Tomcat and Apache, the world's leading Web server, and the only source for full commercial support for Apache and Tomcat on a global basis. Covalent Technologies has been the trusted source that Fortune 500 enterprises turn to when migrating to Open Source and when deploying new Open Source initiatives. Covalent currently supports more than 50% of Fortune 500 and 70% of Fortune 100 companies. Customers include: SBC, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley, National Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Johnson & Johnson, British Telecom, Fidelity Investments, NASA, Hewlett-Packard, Siemens, General Electric, and Bear Stearns. Covalent has assembled the deepest talent pool of Apache experts in the industry and is proud to be one of the most distinguished supporters and stewards of the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org) (ASF), the dominant community for useable Open Source, and the Open Source community in general. For more information visit www.covalent.com.

Covalent Technologies and Covalent product names are trademarks of OS Group, LLC dba Covalent Technologies. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Charlie Purdom
(925) 974-8800 x17
cpurdom@covalent.net


SOURCE: Covalent Technologies