IBM, make up your mind!
I was deciding an integration architecture for a prospective client and suggested the use of IBM Interchange Server (ICS) for an A2A requirement. Another colleague who was documenting the approach mentioned that ICS was not sold independently now and offered as part of WebSphere Integration Server and showed the following links as evidence - http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiserver/ and http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiserver/faq-43.html. So, we decided to follow the nomenclature and used the name WebSphere Integration Server in our architecture.
When we checked the price of the products with IBM, their representative mentioned that ICS was no longer part of WebSphere Integration Server and was part of another product called WebSphere Server Foundation, so we went ahead and updated the product name. After a short while another IBM representative spoke with us to clarify a few technical queries and mentioned that ICS was part of WebSphere Integration Server and not Server Foundation!
When the final architecture was reviewed, a colleague presented an IBM announcement mail in which it was mentioned that WebSphere Integration Server was being sunset and replaced with ICS independently! At this point, we were at our wit's end. As of the time of this post, I am still not sure whether ICS exists as an independent or as part of WebSphere Integration Server or WebSphere Server Foundation. IBM may make great products but their naming and packaging leaves a lot to be desired.
When we checked the price of the products with IBM, their representative mentioned that ICS was no longer part of WebSphere Integration Server and was part of another product called WebSphere Server Foundation, so we went ahead and updated the product name. After a short while another IBM representative spoke with us to clarify a few technical queries and mentioned that ICS was part of WebSphere Integration Server and not Server Foundation!
When the final architecture was reviewed, a colleague presented an IBM announcement mail in which it was mentioned that WebSphere Integration Server was being sunset and replaced with ICS independently! At this point, we were at our wit's end. As of the time of this post, I am still not sure whether ICS exists as an independent or as part of WebSphere Integration Server or WebSphere Server Foundation. IBM may make great products but their naming and packaging leaves a lot to be desired.
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