Viewpoint: There is a place for tried-and-trusted platforms

Intranet is the buzzword of the late 1990s. Demand for fast, efficient and cost-effective dissemination of information has added to the excitement and growth surrounding Internet technology.

A large proportion of the Web servers bought are destined to be used in intranet rather than Internet applications. Many IT departments, too, are piloting intranets to discover how they can deploy them to maximum advantage.

One of the keys to a successful intranet is the power of the server, and in that regard, the AS/400 is the undisputed workhorse of the last decade. Cost-effective processing power combined with efficient data storage and new third-party, user-friendly interfaces have ensured that it will endure for the foreseeable future.

As many large corporates have made substantial investments in proven systems, such as the AS/400 and mainframes, the ability to integrate them into the modern intranet is crucial. The huge number of applications and the amount of mission-critical data residing on these platforms means that few organisations can afford for these systems to remain disconnected.

However, with a vast majority of the highest profile technological developments today centring around the intranet and Internet, it was only a matter of time before the AS/400 and mainframe became accessible via the corporate Web server, and I welcome IBM's efforts in this area.

Happily, advanced Web information connectivity and publishing solutions are now on the market. These allow organisations to maximise their investment in existing platforms and data by using the standard TCP/IP protocol.

As the adoption of Web technologies grows, Web connectivity will be widely seen as the most efficient means of accessing data within the corporate enterprise.

Organisations are beginning to see that, with the minimum of change, they can continue to work with their tried-and-trusted platforms, but use the data and functionality in a more efficient fashion. Web connectivity also has the advantage of using a familiar interface, making the task of accessing data and applications very simple for the user.

Trends towards home working and the mobile office will also be an added incentive for organisations seeking to Web-enable their mainframe and mid-range systems. After all, these are perfect applications for the Web's concept of accessing any host from anywhere in the world.

If levels of public interest and initial signs from corporate users are anything to go by, corporate intranets are going to play a massive role in business. The message is clear: in order to really use intranets to business advantage, corporates must involve their mid-range and mainframe systems from the outset.

James Allardyce, UK sales director, Wall Data