Product Names: Alero Express and Alero Enterprise Edition

Version: v2008 R1

Estimated Date of Release: 3Q2008

The Alero release will be an ambitious release and aims to deliver a number of features currently unavailable in a single product or solution. Due to the complexity of these features and varying user demand, these features have been scheduled to be released in different dates.

• Enhanced Infrastructure: In addition to all the enhancements made to the infrastructure of the product for Alero 2006 release 2, including the SOA foundation and the server virtualization (failover based on multiple active servers), this release will also include enhancements in the communications, database pools, and product license management. Communications can now be configured to limit the amount of TCP/IP sockets used by the product, preventing the product from using more sockets than the number of sockets allowed by the operating system. The database pool management capabilities of the product have been enhanced to support schemas and use a different user than “dba” or “sa” to access database information. Accessing index information in any Alero repository can now be configured to use “Prepared Statements”. Finally, the product license management has been rewritten to secure the investments made by Alero and our partners.  
• Enhanced Content Storage Management: This release will include enhancements for the file system and EMC Centera interfaces, and two new interfaces (WebDAV and HTTP) for Hitachi Content Archive Platform (HCAP). All of the media interfaces now support a block size, allowing the product to better calculate the space taken or freed in the operating system, and more flexible paths when defining volumes and storages. The EMC Centera interface has been revamped to improve performance and support more Centera features. By supporting HCAP through WebDAV and HTTP, Alero’s partners and customers will have more choices when deciding where to store and archive content. Alero HSM virtualizes the life cycle of content regardless of the storage used. Customers can have one or multiple copies of files, in one or multiple different storages, if desired, protecting information assets while meeting even the strictest Backup/Recovery or Disaster Recovery strategies.
• Enhanced WebDAV: The WebDAV interface allows users and applications to see an Alero System as a WebDAV repository. This interface has been enhanced to support not only customized data structures (folder structures) but also specific documents that may or may not be in a data structure. Users will be able to use common desktop office applications to access and manage content in Alero. In addition, the new Alero Web Client application will be completely integrated with Microsoft desktop office applications, allowing users to search, retrieve, and edit documents (replace or add revisions) seamlessly and transparently from the application without any additional software installed on the client computer.
• Enhanced Current High Performance Import: The existing HPI module has been enhanced to provide more flexibility for existing customers. Customers can now define stored procedures in order to capture desired information that they can use for informational or reporting purposes. Business Activity Monitoring capabilities have also been added. Customers can now see statistical information about an import process in real time using AJAX web technology.
• New High Performance Import: The requirements of the HPI have changed since the initial development of HPI 7 years ago. In order to maintain compatibility with existing customers, a new module has been developed to provide more flexibility, even higher performance, and more reliability. This module meets all previous and new requirements expressed by our partners and customers, including the ability to monitor import processes in real time. It will provide business activity monitoring and business intelligence, allowing customers to see import activity, and run reports, in real time. Although this new module has been designed to replace the current version of HPI, Alero customers can use this and the older version of HPI simultaneously, if desired.
• Enhanced Business Process Management: Alero Process Services, which implement the Business Process Management (BPM) capabilities of the product, are being enhanced to meet customer and market requirements. The Alero Process Designer application has been enhanced to facilitate even more the design, configuration, administration, and deployment of simple to complex processes. Both the Alero Process Monitor and Trace applications have been enhanced to be more configurable so customers can have more alternatives when monitoring their business process graphically. Finally, a new Alero Process Simulator is being developed to provide our customers with better understanding of their processes before these processes are deployed in production. Customers will be able to see performance, bottlenecks, resource utilization, etc.; experience the results of different alternatives based on “what-if”; and run simulation at different speeds, all before committing any resources to the processes. Keep in mind that all Alero applications, including these process applications mentioned in this item, are completely web-based with zero footprint.
• New Records Management: Although we had to postpone the development of records management due to other higher priority projects, the development of this product has been resumed and is scheduled for release with this version of Alero. Alero Records Management will meet the requirements of customers looking to manage both electronic and physical records in a single platform. This product is essential to the company’s long-term strategy, which includes providing a comprehensive integration and compliance platform for the management of information.
• New Electronic Signature Management: Like records management, we also had to postpone the development of electronic signature management due to other higher priority projects. The development of this product has been resumed and is scheduled for release with this version of Alero. Alero Electronic Signature Management will guarantee the secure transfer of information through the use of electronic signatures. This product is also essential to the company’s long-term strategy, which includes providing a comprehensive integration and compliance platform for the management of information.
• Enhanced Integration: Integration is also a critical component of the overall company’s strategy. New adapters for Hummingbird DOCS Open (PCDOCS), FileNet P8, and SharePoint (WSS) have been, or are in the process of being, developed. These adapters are part of Alero’s strategy to provide transparent connectivity to common ECM products in the market. These adapters can be used to access information from Alero or other applications (through Alero) or to facilitate the migration of information from these products to other products. The file system, DASL, and database adapters have been enhanced to provide even more functionality and transparency. Users and customized applications can access and integrate information using any of these and other existing adapters seamlessly and effortlessly.
• New Support for Business Activity Monitoring and Business Intelligence: Business Activity Monitoring and Business Intelligence were first introduced with the Alero Process services (BPM). Alero is now moving this technology into other areas of the product, including some of the Alero Repository services (ECM) like the new HPI module, storage, and migration. Through the use of AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) web development standards and libraries, Alero has enhanced the Alero Server Manager application to provide interactive, real time graphical and statistical information about import processes. This is intended to increase our applications' interactivity, speed, functionality, and usability. Ajax is a cross-platform technique usable on many different operating systems computer architectures, and Web browsers as it is based on open standards such as JavaScript and XML, together with open source implementations of other required technologies. These capabilities will be moved to other areas of the product, including migration, storage, etc. More reporting capabilities will also be provided so customers have a better understanding of resource utilization and process activity, helping organizations make decisions based on real data (system accountability).
• New Alero Web Client: In lieu of a portal such as Microsoft SharePoint 2003 or MOSS 2007, Alero has developed a complete, web-server independent application to interface out-of-the-box with the Alero repository, process, integration, and content services. If your solution needs to be web-based but not necessarily portal-based, then the Alero Web Client is the perfect solution for you. This solution will also integrate 100% with any common office desktop using WebDAV technology. This new client application was developed using JSF (JavaServer Faces), which is a Java-based Web application framework that simplifies the development of user interfaces for Java EE applications. Unlike other traditional request-driven MVC web frameworks, JSF uses a component-based approach. The state of UI components is saved when the client requests a new page and then is restored when the request is returned. Out of the box, JSF uses Java Server Pages for its display technology, but JSF can also accommodate other display technologies.
• New Installation: The installation will be upgraded to simplify the installation experience and use the latest and greatest platform independent tools.
• Backward compatibility with Xtorm: As explained previously in this document, customers currently using Xtorm or considering to use Xtorm will be able to upgrade to, or use, Alero seamlessly and transparently, without migrations, data conversions or expensive integration projects. Every effort has been made to ensure backward compatibility with Xtorm.