Users and analysts said the truth lies somewhere in the middle, depending on whether an IT organization needs the lighter, all-in-one functionality being promised by Informatica or the heavier but more robust tools that IBM sells.

"Informatica is more like a Swiss Army Knife, and IBM is more like a toolbox," said Eric Rogge, an analyst at Ventana Research Inc. in San Mateo, Calif. "If you're going on a hike, you may not want to lug around a heavy toolbox. But if you're building a house, you wouldn't want to use a Swiss Army Knife."

Redwood City, Calif.-based Informatica and IBM's information integration division -- which was bolstered in April when IBM bought Ascential Software Corp. for US$1.1 billion -- are battling for supremacy in the growing market for data integration software.

Feature Claims

Informatica plans to announce Version 8 of PowerCenter this week, although it isn't due for general release until April. It will be available by year's end on a limited basis.