Tandem Going After Warehousing Market
CUPERTINO, Calif. - Tandem Computers Inc., a provider of computer hardware to the banking industry, is repositioning its products as data warehousing tools.
The so-called fault-tolerant computers that Tandem makes historically have been used for transaction processing. Because the hardware is designed to avoid down time at all costs, it is used heavily by automated teller machine networks and other financial organizations that handle large volumes of real-time transactions.
Data warehousing is a process in which data from disparate systems are pulled together to be used more efficiently.
Bankers use data warehousing to give employees complete customer profiles that can be used to improve customer service and marketing.
Tandem has dedicated 150 sales and support people to helping banks use Tandem computers for data warehousing. Free Use on Macintosh Of Cybercash Program
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. - Cybercash Inc. is offering a Macintosh- compatible version of Wallet, its secure on-line payment software, for free over the Internet.
A Windows version was already available. .
Wallet secures credit card numbers so that consumers can make purchases on-line. Company executives say 500,000 copies of the software have been downloaded since the technology became available to IBM-compatible personal computer users last April.
The PC and Mac versions can be downloaded from Cybercash's web site for free.
About 30 merchants accept Cybercash-based payments, and the software helps secure about 10,000 on-line transactions per day, according to Magdalena Yesil, a Cybercash vice president.
"Safely bridging the electronic gap between the on-line community and the banking system is critical," Ms. Yesil said. "Now with complete service for Macintosh users, Cybercash makes payment a simple, safe, one-step process for all Internet consumers."
Verisign Adapts Product For Microsoft Servers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Verisign has developed a version of its digital identification product to fit newly released Microsoft Internet servers.
Corporate customers who use Microsoft servers to access the Internet can license Verisign's security. This could be useful for banks that want to secure sensitive financial information over the Internet.
The digital identification system made by Verisign secures transactions as they flow over the Internet. Digital IDs, or digital certificates, are cryptographic keys used to verify the identities of participants in on-line commerce.
Verisign was founded last year as a spinoff of RSA Data Security. Its investors include Ameritech and Visa International.
The company works with a wide range of partners, including International Business Machines Corp., Netscape Communications Corp., Open Market Co., and Apple Computer Inc.
