WebSphere Remote Server

WebSphere® Remote Server delivers a fully integrated platform to help manage remote environments. This infrastructure offering extends the IBM Enterprise Business Integration technology to distributed locations, enabling integration from the enterprise to the edge of your business.

WebSphere Remote Server, the core component of the IBM Retail Integration Framework, is a pre-integrated, pre-tested package of IBM software products designed specifically to support the on demand.

WebSphere Remote Server integrates diverse systems in the distributed environment, such as existing IBM Point-of-Sale (POS) applications and new POS solutions provided by IBM Business Partners, with the infrastructure to quickly deploy and manage new solutions built around the WebSphere Remote Server core. It links each remote node and the enterprise to help customers determine whether they have the right goods and services, in the right location, at the right price, and with the level of service and the unique shopping experience that consumers demand.

After clients deploy remote server software at their distributed environments, they can select separately available extensions to run on the server, based on their individual needs. For example, if a retailer needs to integrate their current POS system with the rest of the distributed environment applications (fuel pumps, kiosks, and so on), they can get the POS Extension and deploy it on the distributed environment servers. If they want to implement digital video surveillance, they can implement the Digital Media Extension on the servers. This capability enables clients to use the server for today's needs, while also positioning them for future implementations, such as the rollout of RFID technology and devices.

Key benefits

- WebSphere Remote Server software provides a standards-based platform for running distributed operations, designed to be implemented across hundreds of locations while managing the remote IT aspects centrally. By leveraging the robust, scalable, and secure middleware already used across enterprise implementations, this middleware can be used immediately by clients. It allows for future growth via new technologies that are radically changing the consumer service experience. The time to develop and deploy solutions can be reduced. By working with leading clients and software Business Partners, this offering is designed to integrate customer and employee touchpoints as well as enterprise processes and data warehouses.

- Using WebSphere Remote Server, IBM Business Partners can leverage a standards-based platform for building, deploying, and managing partner solutions. This helps in meeting customer requirements faster and meeting J2EE and industry-specific standards. They can easily roll out applications to hundreds, or even thousands of distributed locations.

- WebSphere Central Site Server provides a single convenient package of middleware components at the same level as provided by WebSphere Remote Server for use at the enterprise.

- Streamlines remote operations to cost effectively integrate existing and new technologies such as:

• Mobile shopping devices with personalized information at the consumer's fingertips

• Transaction log (Tlog) handling for non-IBM 4690 applications to move POS data to headquarters

• RFID technology to speed the checkout process and locate merchandise in the distributed environment

• Digital merchandising solutions that can provide consumers with dynamic product information and comparisons on demand

• Accurate inventory information to help prevent erroneous reordering of merchandise

WebSphere Remote Server provides both remote and enterprise aspects. The remote aspect features a robust, standards-based, highly available middleware platform for application solutions with business and operating monitoring. The enterprise aspect focuses on building, deploying, and managing the middleware to remote locations.

Manages distributed environment middleware

- Step-by-step approach to distributed environment efficiently transforming operations to efficiently transform stores

- Platform for distributed environment innovation to differentiate your customers' shopping experience

- Robust, standards-based platform for future expansion to help you more effectively compete in your market

Use in any industry for remote locations needing a robust middleware platform that is centrally managed.