COLORADO SPRINGS, USA: XAware, Inc. announces the general availability of XAware 5.2, the leading open source data integration solution for creating and managing composite data services.

Working closely with its rapidly growing user community, XAware has included upgrades that give developers new design options that make it easier to design and deliver data services for Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), Rich Internet Applications (RIA) and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.

The most notable addition to XAware 5.2 is the data-first design feature. Leveraging two important aspects of the Eclipse Data Tools Project, Connection Profiles and Data Source Explorer, XAware users can now create data services by starting with data sources.

This option, often known as bottom-up design, is an ideal fit for data oriented developers and architects, especially those who need to combine data from multiple sources. As it has since its inception, XAware also gives developers the option of starting the design process with XML Schemas, an approach known as top-down design. Either way, XAware 5.2 gives organizations the flexibility to use the design method that best enables them to achieve their objectives.

XAware has also introduced a new service design wizard that enables new users to quickly build and test services with relational data sources. Additional enhancements include a new outline view, improved search functionality, greater run-time query control and updated support content for all features.

"XAware 5.2 improves an organization's ability to quickly design, build and implement high-quality, scalable data services," said Kirstan Vandersluis, co-founder and chief scientist of XAware. "Data accessibility is a vital part of today's enterprise architecture, and the XAware open source project has made significant contributions in that regard during 2008. By any measurement standard – downloads, visitors, registered users or market recognition – it has been a phenomenal first year for the XAware Community."

XAware 5.2 is available for free use under the GPLv2 license and via a commercial license.