Web business suite

update IBM on Tuesday said it acquired privately held start-up Gluecode Software, a company that offers a low-end, open-source alternative to IBM's WebSphere line. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Based in El Segundo, Calif., Gluecode sells corporate customers services around a suite of open-source software developed at the Apache Foundation. The company offers small and midsize businesses subcription-based support and updates for a suite of Java server products, called Joe. As part of the acquisition, IBM said it will contribute to the Apache Geronimo project, a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application server that forms the basis of Gluecode's product line. ***

IBM next year plans to sell a revamped edition of its WebSphere Java server product line that the company says will improve the integration of components within its software portfolio. Big Blue is creating a "modular architecture" for its WebSphere Java application server, which will allow customers to combine IBM software products more easily with WebSphere. The architecture will debut as part of a product--code-named Vela and expected to be called WebSphere 6--that will be released in the second half of next year, according to an IBM representative. The WebSphere application server is used to run custom-written business applications. ***

IBM on Wednesday is expected to debut a component of its e-commerce WebSphere server that runs on Linux, continuing its effort to bring the operating system to more of its larger server systems. Using WebSphere Commerce Suite Start 4.1 running on Linux, businesses can buy and sell products, build catalogs, and run customer loyalty and relationship management programs. The software is targeted at companies looking to establish business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations. ***