JBoss has yet to determine the specific open-source licenses it will use for the agent technology.

The built-in software agents now in JBoss Operations Network allow users to manage, monitor and patch their systems. But with additional agents created by open-source developers, those capabilities will be vastly expanded, Connolly said.

The general availability of the Seam 1.0 application framework will also provide a seamless development platform that makes it easier to bring together a wide range of service-oriented architecture technologies such as AJAX, JavaServer Faces, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) 3.0, Java portlets, business process management and workflow. Designed to eliminate complexity at the architecture and API level, Seam 1.0 enables developers to assemble complex Web applications with simple Java objects, XML and other means using EJB 3.0 through the entire Web application stack.

"Historically, J2EE and Web 2.0 APIs have been very complex," Connolly said. "This helps reduce the coding that's needed and factors in portal integration and business process management."

By moving to provide vendor certification to software-as-a-service vendors, JBoss is hoping to make it easier for their customers to use the company's products in whatever form works best for them, Connolly said. Independent software vendors and platform vendors have had access to JBoss vendor certification programs in the past. Now companies that host the applications for customers will also be eligible for certification to strengthen their service and support offerings. "This is about making it possible for them to improve quality and availability," Connolly said.