It's a Big Blue world for Lawson Software

16.03.2006
Lawson Software Inc.'s latest applications rollout includes IBM software as its default technology stack and will serve as the underpinnings for the suite's Web services-based future.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based ERP applications maker Wednesday announced Lawson Release 9, which has a new technology stack called the Lawson System Foundation 9 (LSF 9). Based on IBM technology, it replaces the previous stack, Lawson Technology 8.1, and will allow customers to exploit Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) capabilities. LSF 9 will also be a bridge for customers to exploit Landmark, Lawson's next generation set of SOA-based applications, which is slated to ship later this year.

LSF 9 comes bundled with IBM's WebSphere middleware stack, the DB2 Universal Database and Tivoli applications management software, said Maher Hakim, senior vice president of product management. The move builds on Lawson's efforts to make its software more IBM friendly.

'We want to make sure our users have everything they need to run our applications,' said Hakim. 'We've simplified the way we packaged the software by bundling the components with a single point of support. If there's an issue with WebSphere, they can call Lawson and we can support them.'

The IBM technology will boost security and scalability, he said. In some cases, for example, LSF 9 can deliver a 300 percent boost in transaction volume over previous versions of the software. Hakim also said that software wizards make LSF 9 easier and less expensive to roll out.

Lawson is also shipping new versions of its business applications. Lawson Business Management Solutions 9 will offer a new performance management application to help link employee performance to organizational goals and measure results. Moreover, the Lawson Supply Chain Management Suite 9 has been enhanced to allow companies to issue employees special procurement credit cards, allowing a more streamlined purchasing process.