LOS ANGELES, USA: Epicor Software Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise business software solutions for the midmarket and divisions of Global 1000 companies has unveiled Epicor Internet Component Environment (ICE) 2.0 at the Microsoft "Heroes Happen Here" launch in Los Angeles. Epicor ICE 2.0 is the Company's next-generation industry-leading service-oriented architecture (SOA) for building dynamic business applications, and will exploit the capabilities of Microsoft Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, and Visual Studio 2008.

Based on proven Web services technologies such as the Microsoft .NET Framework, Epicor ICE 2.0 (currently scheduled for release in Q2 2008) delivers a truly adaptable SOA that will help businesses reduce costs, increase hardware utilization, optimize infrastructure and server availability, and drive unprecedented user productivity. The backbone of Epicor's next generation resource planning (ERP) solutions, Epicor ICE 2.0 fuses Web 2.0 and Enterprise SOA concepts to deliver an adaptable framework for creating dynamic applications delivered via rich user experiences. Epicor ICE 2.0 provides a truly collaborative and dynamic enterprise application experience, offering new levels of flexibility, usability and agility in support of application-to-application and business-to-business integration.

According to a recent report, Forrester Research defines this type of next generation enterprise application as "dynamic business applications — software systems that embody business processes; are built for change; and deliver rich, context-aware information to individual users. Dynamic business apps and Web 2.0 applications share many of the same characteristics and requirements." (Developing Enterprise Web 2.0 Applications, Forrester Research, Inc., July 2007).

Building on its already significant experience in developing and delivering SOA and Web services-based enterprise applications, Epicor continues to evolve its technology platform to stay at the forefront of the next wave of enabling technologies. In addition to significant enhancements in the areas of business process management (BPM) and workflow orchestration, consistent with the need for greater governance risk and compliance (GRC) management and continuous performance initiatives, Epicor ICE 2.0 also includes on-premise, single-tenant hosted or multi-tenant software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployment options. Epicor's unique technology allows users to personalize and modify application capabilities in a single environment and then deploy simultaneously in a Windows smart client and/or Ajax-enabled browser to meet increasing demands for composite application development. Other Web 2.0 innovations include virtualization (Microsoft Hyper-V Server), presence (Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007), enterprise search and content management (Microsoft Office SharePoint Server), a real-time business intelligence framework (Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server), as well as support for RSS, enhanced use of Windows Workflow Foundation, and a move to RESTful-based Web services.

Catching the "Heroes Happen Here" Wave

Epicor brings over 20 years of experience delivering innovative line-of-business solutions (LOBs) to market on the latest technology from Microsoft, including powerful tools like the Epicor Productivity Pyramid — Epicor Information Worker, Epicor Portal, and Epicor Service Connect — that extends the value of a businesses investment in ERP by making information easily accessible to knowledge workers, so increasing individual efficiency and group collaboration.

"Epicor has a proven history of delivering service-oriented line-of-business applications that take advantage of technology from Microsoft," said Eddie Amos, general manager for Worldwide Partner Evangelism for Microsoft Corp. "The Epicor Productivity Pyramid is a prime example of how Epicor has extended the reach and value of its enterprise applications, with tools for creating Office Business Applications (OBAs) that bring enterprise data and Microsoft Office desktop applications together. This enables people to work smarter and faster, resulting in better decision making that ultimately will have a positive impact on a company's overall success."

Amos continued, "With ICE 2.0, Epicor is taking that foundation to the next level, utilizing Microsoft Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 in the development of its next-generation service-oriented solutions to deliver an even richer user experience, further boosting business collaboration and knowledge worker productivity."

The Epicor Evolution Gains Momentum in 2008

Based on proven SOA technology, Epicor ICE 2.0 delivers an evolutionary approach to revolutionary new functionality. Epicor is well on its way to delivering the market's first comprehensive enterprise applications with Epicor ICE 2.0 as the foundation. Showcasing new ways of interacting with an ERP system and leveraging its extensive experience in the manufacturing, distribution and services industries, Epicor is on schedule to deliver the most comprehensive combination of software, service and support, merging SOA and Web 2.0 concepts at the core, in a single technology platform later this year.

"Today, our customers face a growing need for real-time collaboration inside and outside the organization and increasingly across globally-distributed operations. This coupled with the opportunities that come from successful continuous performance initiatives is driving a demand for leaner, greener, flexible solutions delivered more cost-effectively," says James Norwood, vice president of product marketing for Epicor. "Building on what is already a very successful SOA foundation and award-winning business applications, Epicor is innovating in the areas of Enterprise and Web 2.0, investing in enterprise search, presence and business mash-up scenarios, as well as cost efficient deployment options, as we continue to evolve our industry-specific enterprise solutions. This investment will help our customers gain immediate benefits through easier access to information, increased user productivity, and overall business performance."