Purdue News
Purdue News
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October 20, 2000 Maxim I/T offers a 'take command' approach
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Maxim I/T announced Monday (10/16) the test release of a software product called FindView Connect, which will be offered to a select number of existing customers. Following customer feedback and technical support evaluation, FindView Connect will be commercially available early next year.
"We've created a cost-effective system that allows companies to take command of their own e-commerce needs without sacrificing speed or security," said Nainesh Rathod, president and chief executive officer of Maxim I/T Inc. "FindView Connect, the first software of its kind, enables individual businesses to act as their own B2B portal."
Companies often pay independent firms to automate and maintain business functions with customers, suppliers, distributors and trading partners via business-to-business Web sites, commonly referred to as B2B portals. In addition, some B2B vendors offer management services aiding companies with contracts, accounts, orders, catalogs, on-line bidding, auctions, administration, reporting and data analysis.
According to Rathod, one of the main reasons companies utilize B2B portals instead of maintaining their own e-commerce Web sites is because they offer a means of exchanging data in a secure environment; that is, until now. FindView Connect enables companies to share selected information via the Web without the fear of security breaches, Rathod said. That's because FindView Connect resides on a centralized extranet server, outside a company's protective firewall, thus preventing external users from accessing internal, sensitive, corporate data.
Although FindView Connect resides outside a company's firewall, it works as a synchronized extranet connection where changes and additions to the data are quickly reflected to both internal and external users. Businesses using FindView Connect can select the frequency of connections between their intranet and this extranet server. The more frequent the connections, the more up-to-date the information displayed.
In addition to enabling up-to-date information access for both internal and external users, this data-mirroring effect also eliminates several steps typically used in maintaining an e-commerce Web site. For example, FindView Connect eradicates the continuous duplication efforts, inconvenience and ongoing expense often associated with today's B2B solutions.
First, by operating in conjunction with Maxim I/T's corporate network (intranet) search software FindView 2.0, this software package indexes corporate information from various systems, servers, locations, directories and supplier catalogs. It searches for information based on the user's profile, so each aspect of a company's operation – from its sales staff to its engineering department – can elect to find only the data specific to its needs.
Next, unlike B2B portals that require time-consuming data conversion prior to posting information through their sites, FindView Connect allows companies to skip the step of converting data into a Web-compatible format.
Engineering, manufacturing and other data, whether in text, binary or database form, is accessed and displayed by FindView 2.0. And, once retrieved, all data remains in its native format, which enables both internal and external users to view the data in the application initially used to create it – whether it's a document or graphic file.
And finally, employees themselves can use FindView Connect to tag the internal information they desire to share. Once tagged, the data is securely exported onto the extranet server for sharing.
"There are some good reasons for doing business through a B2B portal; but for companies who want to share accurate, up-to-date project and/or corporate information with their partners, FindView Connect offers the same level of sophistication as a B2B portal exchange," Rathod said. "Even firms that operate B2B portals realize the advantages of our combined search and exchange technology and are beginning to incorporate it."
Founded by Rathod in 1996, Maxim I/T has headquarters in the Purdue Research Park's business incubation complex, where new ventures are connected early in their development with mentors who help them identify market prospects, develop prototypes, launch marketing activities and develop financial resources. Incubator companies also benefit from attractive rental rates and access to various amenities such as two-way video-conferencing, flexible office and lab space, and high-speed Internet access. More than 36 companies that did not exist prior to 1993 have been launched at the park, and these companies have hired more than 221 employees.
Source: Nainesh Rathod, (765) 463-4710; nbrathod@maxim-IT.com
Writer: Jeanine Smith, (765) 496-3133; jsmith@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Nainesh Rathod, Maxim I/T president and chief executive officer, explains FindView Connect, a new software product that helps companies provide their own secure e-commerce sites. Maxim I/T has headquarters in the Purdue Research Park's business incubation complex. (Purdue News Service Photo by David Umberger)
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