Mashup to scale up business activities in India

BANGALORE, INDIA: The Chicago-based software applications company -- Serena Software has announced the availability of Serena Mashup Composer in the Indian market for the point-and-click creation of business mashups. Just as Web 2.0 technologies have made it possible for millions to create custom Web applications using open APIs and tools from companies such as Google, Facebook, and others, Serena Mashup Composer makes it easy to visually design business mashups that automate common business activities. Timothy Zonca, senior product marketing manager of Serena Software Inc and Keshav Prakash, country manager of Serena Software India spoke to Manu Sharma from CIOL Bureau on various issues relating to business mashups.

CIOL: What is a Mashup and what are its benefits?

TZ: A mashup is a web-based application that combines two or more different sources of content into a single view. A well-constructed mashup creates a unified end-user experience where the user isn’t even aware that data and visual elements come from multiple sources. One popular example is Google Maps. Mashup enables power users in the business and IT to quickly address their everyday needs, while freeing scarce application development resources to focus on more complex tasks. 

CIOL: What are business mashups and how are they different from other types of mashups?

TZ: Mashups come in three general flavors: consumer mashups, data mashups and business mashups. Consumer mashups combine visual and data elements from two or more sources. They usually solve some small problems such as finding the shortest distance to a destination by plotting the route on a map. Data mashups are used to combine multiple data sources into a single source. Business mashups solve business problems which are typically process-driven. They allow you to combine visual and data elements from multiple sources within a process-driven framework. Unlike consumer or data mashups, business mashups keep the state of your process in progress and provide the data and visual elements you need when you need them. 

CIOL: Why has Serena launched business mashups?

TZ: To accelerate the creation and use of business mashups. Serena will provide an online marketplace where mashers can find, buy, and sell pre-packaged mashups, Web services, and professional services. This is also designed to further its leadership in Application Lifesycle Management (ALM) and extend the company’s capabilities by offering business mashups to capitalize on increasing interest in Service-oriented Architecture (SOA) and Software as a Service (SaaS). 

 CIOL: How can business mashups help?

KP: Can you think of some small applications that would help drive new business or make your operations more effective? Don’t you wish there was a way you could build these applications yourself, without having to wait for or rely on IT? That’s exactly the purpose of business mashup. They allow you to create automated processes, tie these processes in with multiple back-end or cloud-based systems while providing the unified experience we’ve all come to expect from mashups. 

CIOL: Who has been your first customer and what is their reaction to the product?

TZ: The product was launched earlier this month in the US and some of our early customers include: Thompson Financials, Philadelphia Stock Exchange and Looksmart. 

CIOL: Who are Serena clients in India and which companies are you targeting?

KP: Serena will introduce the product in India in November and are presently doing a pilot study. We are targeting the large and medium enterprises and not the SMB. Serena already caters to over 200 big customers directly in India and will focus on them for the business mashup.

CIOL: What is Serena Mashup Exchange and when will it be available?

TZ: Serena Mashup Exchange is a virtual community and new marketplace for business people and their partners to connect around building mashups. There you can find packaged mashups, template workflows and professional service offerings. Serena Mashup Exchange will be available in early 2008.