ActiveX - Microsoft's Strategy

The Client will be the Web browser running ActiveX or Java components.

• Clients can be fat, thin, or thicker depending on client hardware
• Software components will be dynamically uploaded and cached on the client
• Java components will be used when cross platform capabilities are required

The Web Server will be the Business Object processor.

• Clients will communicate via HTML or ODBC
• COM components will be Visual Basic, Java, or C++
• VB Script or Java Script can be used to integrate components

Distributed back end databases will be heterogeneous relational, file servers, and legacy systems.

• Transaction monitors will assure distributed commits of Business Object components.

A three-tier physical architecture will be the standard with multiple software tiers on each physical tier.

New technology and legacy products will migrate to a common user interface based on Windows 97 technology.

New technology will expand to subsume legacy systems on an accelerated schedule.

Users will reap many benefits.

• Client hardware costs will decrease
• Software installation and maintenance will be automated
• Network costs will be radically reduced
• Remote sites can be easily supported
• Web server business processors will reduce cost and complexity of installation and support of client server systems
• Legacy systems will be integrated with new technologies to preserve investments