July 1998

Bring Your Intranet into the Imaging Mix

NovaSoft Systems (Burlington, MA 781-221-0300) has introduced NovaWeb View, a Java-based, integrated document image and workflow management program. Combined with NovaManage server, NovaWeb View offers a scaleable, customizable image and data management system that provides enterprise-wide access to objects of any type, including scanned documents, database-resident information, workflows, spreadsheets, CAD drawings and even audio and video recordings. Nova runs on Windows 95, Window NT 4.0, Windows 3.1, Motif and Macintosh 7.5 clients. Server platforms include Windows NT, Sun Solaris, HP-UX and Alpha NT. NovaWeb View costs $75 to $250 per user, depending on volume. NovaManage ranges from $960 to $1375 per seat.

NetRight Technologies' (Sunnyvale, CA 408-523-4005) iManage Network for Novell and Windows NT 4.0 is designed to manage millions of online image and digitally-originated documents on local and wide area networks. Features include ScreenShot, a 32-bit document management client/server architecture for Windows 95 and Windows NT. ScreenShot is an "out-of-the-box" enterprise image and document management solution with a comprehensive set of administrative tools. It is compatible with a wide variety of SQL databases (MS SQL server, Sybase, Oracle, Informix) and file servers (NetWare 3.12, NetWare 4.1, Windows NT).

iManage Network 4.0 is a three-tier document and image management product that's designed to provide scalability, support a large user base/document base, and support searching criteria/customizable interface. The middle-tier is designed to run on a Windows multi-threaded model with a "redundant" middle-tier as a back up.

iManage's Internet component transforms any browser into an enterprise document and image management client. Delivering two-way check-in and checkout, the Java-based application eliminates the need for client-side software. Users can access documents from either a local server of the Internet. Pricing for the server is $6,900 per file server and $469 per workstation.

OTG's (Bethesda, MD 301-897-1400) ApplicationXtender (AE) is the production component of the DiskXtender application suite that stores images and objects in user-defined applications for easy retrieval and processing. It scales upwards to accommodate thousands of users on an enterprise system. Once scanned, images can be written to WORM, erasable optical tape and CD-ROM media through a user-friendly interface. Functions such as file caching and tracking are managed in the background.

For fast and easy access to images across an enterprise network, there is WebXtender, an MS Internet Information Server-based tool that allows users to view ApplicationXtender documents over a corporate intranet or the Internet. Add-on utilities include AE Plus Pack, which enables searching across multiple AE applications and tracking system activity by user or by application. Other functions include advanced virtual device management, data migration, caching, automated event scheduling, media compaction and NT-level security. Application Extender costs $55,000 for a 100-concurrent-user system.

Feith (Fort Washington, PA 215-646-8000) uses AT&T Labs' DjVu image compression technology to deliver high-resolution images over the Internet. This technology achieves compression ratios that are five to ten times better than existing methods. Users need not forfeit quality and legibility of images in order to achieve satisfactory download speed with DjVu.

For users of the Feith Document Database (FDD), scanned documents and images of high resolution can be retrieved and viewed quickly on a standard Web browser equipped with the DjVu plug-in.

--Arthur Gingrande

Main Article:

• Blended Solutions Bring Imaging to the Enterprise