SME manufacturers to get platform freedom

Manufacturing SMEs wanting to gain IT platform independence for their ERP, as Linux and IBM’s Websphere grow in popularity alongside Microsoft, are increasingly able to do so – and latest to make the offer is Exel. Brian Tnham reports

Manufacturing SMEs wanting to gain IT platform independence for their ERP, as Linux and IBM’s Websphere grow in popularity alongside Microsoft, are increasingly able to do so – and latest to make the offer is Exel. The firm’s Efacs, now at vrsion 5, runs with Windows 2000 and SQL Server, the IBM range of x, p, i (AS/400) and zSeries servers with DB2 and AIX/Linux operating systems. The new release is also now browser-based and a server-only install, so cost of ownership and client maintenance costs are also improved. Says managing director Dr John Ellis: “This is very good for Efacs; using Websphere brings all the benefits of improved security and integration, together with the support offered by a leading player like IBM… Our software is now available to a wider range of manufacturing companies.”