US military enlists Viador portal software
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said Monday the U.S. military will use Viador's core enterprise portal software to provide Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine officers with real-time access to critical data such as military deployment and equipment reports, which would improve instant communications between all parties.
Viador said its flagship E-Portal software will act as the interface for the new military system. Viador partner Autonomy intends to provide the search engine, while Sybase software will combine internal business content and deliver the information to people using the portal.
The news comes at a time when Viador, which earlier this month announced a plan to cut costs, is restructuring its business to focus on more lucrative segments including the government sector. The company laid off 55 employees to cut costs and reduced its consulting division further as part of an ongoing strategy to strengthen relationships with third-party consultants.
Meanwhile, Viador is facing increased competition from a number of technology players tackling the burgeoning enterprise portal niche. Although many analysts have said the specialized sector is on a lucrative growth path, Viador and others are facing competition from some of the industry's biggest software companies, such as Oracle, Microsoft and IBM.
Earlier this month, Internet giant Yahoo and German software behemoth SAP joined forces to develop and sell Web portals to corporate clients.
Sybase, which in February acquired struggling integration-software maker New Era of Networks (NEON), intends to fold NEON's product line into its own flagship software, Enterprise Portal, and create a division dedicated to corporate portals.
Viador said the Army's software engineering center, which is heading up the project, is in the final stages of developing and testing the portal. The new system will eventually allow military personnel to log on, punch in a password and access reports and crucial data.
The company said it plans to continue targeting customers in the government sector including agencies such as the IRS and the U.S. Department of Education.