Application Development

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1 Written by Michael Azoff, January 2004 TA000410ADT Technology Infrastructure Butler Group Subscription Services Application Development TECHNOLOGY AUDIT Mart Technology Ltd. MT Studio Abstract Mart Technology is a new entrant with a RAD product that points to where application development is heading: rich Web-based applications. Launched in the Summer 2003 and with enhancements introduced in the current release, MT Studio is a development environment based around Java technology and XML but with many advanced layers to shield the developer from the need to get heavily involved in programming coding is performed mainly with the dynamic scripting language BeanShell. MT Studio is supplied out-of-the-box with an application server (Apache Tomcat) and a database (Sybase SQL Anywhere), plus OS if necessary (Linux). The product is itself built with the same technology, showcasing what can be achieved in rich client Internet applications. MT Studio is not designed to support applications requiring thousands of lines of custom Java code, though an enterprise edition in the pipeline will cater for J2EE EJB creation. The product is ideal for SMEs and departments in large enterprises. An evaluation copy is available from the Mart Web site. KEY FINDINGS Rich Web-based multiplatform applications. Automated database transaction management. Extendable Wizard for generating GUI applications. RAD development, scalable solution at low cost. Limited debugger and unsuited for large coding. Lacks lifecycle management and modelling features. Key: Product Strength Product Weakness Point of Information LOOK AHEAD MT Studio is one of a new breed of RAD tools for rich Web-based applications that gives it first market entry advantages. Mart Technology will release enhancements as well as an enterprise edition (including a Report Writer) and a mobile edition in 2004 its prospects are excellent.

2 FUNCTIONALITY Product Analysis Application development takes many forms and with multifarious targets. Thus the most popular target today is the rich client desktop application, be it running under Windows or multi-platform Java. On the increase in take up is the thin client Web-based application, with.net and J2EE being the chief platform technologies. Of the development forms RAD is the preferred method for small scale, and/or short lifetime applications, or as part of a pre-development user acceptance and design phase for larger projects. In particular, Rapid Application Development (RAD) is ideal for developing GUI front-ends to database applications that do not require reams of custom business-logic coding. Looking ahead a third option appearing over the development horizon is set to re-vitalise RAD: rich Web-based applications. Of course such applications can be designed with the technologies already mentioned, however, to incorporate the RAD aspect and also create efficient stream-lined applications that do not suffer from the complexity of.net or J2EE there has been a lack of suitable development tools. This situation is about to change, well known names in the IT industry like Microsoft and Macromedia are focusing on this third option. Mart Technology has stolen a march on these rivals with a product that was first released in the Summer 2003, having been in development since Mart Technology, a start-up company based in outer London, has produced MT Studio to enable end-users with technical experience but not in-depth.net or J2EE skills, to produce applications rapidly and with all the benefits of running Web-based applications. For example, a company manufacturing parts can create an order system for internal use, and in one stroke eliminate the need for a telesales force to process external orders by giving its endcustomers, suppliers, and partners, access to the system via the Web. The many benefits of Web-based applications distributed access, security, streamlined processes, collaboration, lower network and hardware costs, and zero deployment costs make the third option ideal for many businesses. Developing applications is further simplified by virtue of Web page designs simply saved and then called up by their URL there is no compilation or publishing stage necessary. SMEs and departments within large-scale enterprises are likely to see the highest take-up of this technology. The custom programming in MT Studio is performed in XML and BeanShell, a dynamic Java scripting language, which can seamlessly embed standard Java if required. BeanShell, like other scripting languages, allows a looser mode of programming that is perfect for prototyping, and by virtue of its high productivity also suited to rapidly develop production quality applications. Product Operation MT Studio comes out-of-the-box on a CD as a packaged bundle with an application server, Apache Tomcat, and a database: Sybase SQL Anywhere. The product can run under Windows or Linux, and the included standard edition Red Hat (now moved to Fedora) Linux will also allow a virgin machine with unformatted hard drive to be used the installation creates a space for Linux to run, about 2 GB is required. There are options available to purchase just the MT Studio development environment for running under the existing infrastructure. Any JDBC-compliant database can be connected at the back end. For developer convenience the installation can be made on one machine that then acts as the server and client, or on a client/server n-tier set up. Once installed a folder is created with shortcuts to three stages: the first stage starts up the MT Studio and database services under Tomcat, the second stage opens a browser with a page pointing to the MT Studio home Web page. When MT Studio is closed the user must also execute the third stage via the shortcut provided, which shuts down the Tomcat database and MT services cleanly. 2

3 The portal-like home page, see figure 1, displays icons for the development application options, the key ones being MT IDE, MT Designer, and MT Wizard. Selecting any of these opens up an application as a child process of the browser for this reason the browser must not be shut down, otherwise the application also closes. There are alternatives for opening the application but the browser is the most typical. Figure 1: Portal Home Page of MT Studio The architecture behind the product is shown in figure 2. The application system comprises two elements: MTDynamo sits server-side and serves application pages to MTClient, as well as linking to the database. MTDynamo is a Java servlet that supplements the Web application server used as middleware, be it the supplied Apache Tomcat or any other J2EE-compliant application server. Communication between MTClient and MTDynamo is conducted in XML, with large packets zipped for network efficiency. JDBC-compliant databases are supported including Oracle, Sybase, IBM DB2, MS SQL, MySQL, as well as ODBC databases for which a JDBC-ODBC bridge is available, such as Microsoft Access. A live connection with the database is automatically established at the session start and used for all transactions, which is the efficient way to run database applications. MTDynamo has an authentication mechanism to ensure secure communications between the browser and the Web server. MTClient is a technological innovation from Mart Technology, providing the client-side infrastructure for supporting GUI applications by managing screen mapping, populating data forms, and managing data flow between the client and MTDynamo. It is also possible to extend the capabilities of MTClient with custom modules. The client component is an applet that will run any Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, or advanced thin clients. The development environment comprises the following components: MTIDE is the IDE with standard features such as coloured editing and built-in syntax checking. Web pages are created in HTML and XML within procedural blocks and can embed SQL. Tags control the flow of logic and if necessary custom code can be written in BeanShell. 3 Butler Direct Limited Technology Infrastructure

4 Figure 2: Architecture of MT Studio MTDesigner is a separate environment for creating the GUI, essentially providing an easy to use design tool that sits on top of the Java SWING library. The tool features a workspace for placing SWING containers and components on a form and an attribute editor for selecting enabled properties and events. The designs are then rendered in XML and embedded within MTIDE pages or viewed through the runtime viewer. MTDesigner can be run independently or from within MTIDE. There is also a run-time only version for just viewing forms that, for example, can be accessed by end-users for signing off designs. MTWizard is a Wizard-driven designer as an alternative to MTDesigner that is based on templates and automatically generates code. The tool reads tables in databases, generating a basic GUI and data interaction routines. It also features a database schema viewer for linking a database to data aware fields on forms. Custom templates can be created for later re-use, which can be used to enforce a corporate look-and-feel for example. Business logic normally custom coded can now be represented by the logic flow within Web pages using high-level tags, which are dynamically interpreted by MTDynamo on the server-side the tags can be augmented by BeanShell or stored procedures. The MTIDE created Web pages are stored directly on the database, not on a file server, and since MTDynamo maintains a persistent database connection, page and data retrieval is very fast. The developer can make incremental changes to pages and have them instantly validated, which speeds up development. The in-built debugger is of the type requiring debugging messages to be inserted that are picked up in a debug report. The lack of a dynamic debugging facility with breakpoints and variable tracing indicates the unsuitability of the tool for large-scale, custom coded applications however, that is not the target usage for MT Studio. The standard edition can consume Web services, and the forthcoming enterprise edition will allow the creation of Web services. 4

5 MT Studio applications can be run as a browser child process via a URL call from a Web browser, which necessitates the presence of the parent browser on the desktop. Mart Technology cites alternate methods for launching MT Studio applications including a desktop button that can initiate an application, and the enterprise edition will feature a virtual desktop, called MTDesktop, in which as many MT Studio applications as desired can be run. The MTIDE and MTDesigner are constructed efficiently, so for example, when MT Studio windows are closed they are permanently removed from memory to avoid a build up in the Java cache memory, necessitating a re-boot of the machine. The Standard version of MT Studio comes with a simple versioning mechanism whereby the duplicate pages can be created and the version number is automatically incremented. Pages can easily be moved between packages. The Enterprise edition includes a more sophisticated version control system that permits the creation of snapshots of applications at different stages in their development lifecycle. The Standard edition also includes a documentation generation feature that produces HTML reports of forms. Product Emphasis There are a number of options possible in the type of applications that can be developed with MT Studio. The simplest is standard static HTML but this is very limited in scope. Next are dynamic pages with database connectivity and embedded SQL calls in the pages. Server-side variables can be set to maintain the flow of logic between client and server. This option does not require the MTClient or a client-side JRE 1.4. The most sophisticated rich Web-based applications are the real strength of MT Studio. For form-based data-intensive business applications MT Studio can rapidly create a Web-based, multiplatform solution based on standards like XML and J2EE. The GUI can include any of the features seen in desktop applications, such as trees and tables. For database applications stored, procedures can also be called from within the pages. The benefits of MT Studio include support for multi-lingual and multi-local application development, spanning different time zones and currencies. Where the product does not compete is in larger-scale projects that require a more disciplined team effort featuring UML design and possibly a Model Driven Architecture. However, as often was the case with the old Visual Basic fronting industrial strength C++, MT Studio could be used to rapidly produce frontends to larger scale Java projects. According to Mart Technology, applications can be created in MT Studio up to three times faster than with standard Java. Butler Group believes that MT Studio provides a remarkable RAD layer on top of Java to produce efficient and versatile desktop-like solutions with the advantages of being Web-based. MT Studio is itself built with the same technology and so demonstrates the scope and feel of the applications that can be produced. DEPLOYMENT MT Studio Standard Edition version 1.5 will be available in the first quarter of 2004 enhancements will include further Wizard functionality. The first Enterprise Edition is due for release in the second quarter of MT Studio is an out-of-the-box product bundled with everything necessary for creating rich client Web-based applications, including Apache Tomcat, Sybase SQL Anywhere, and Linux. A network administrator can perform the installation of MT Studio easily. Project managers and lead developers can perform the administration of project packages. There is a utility to backup and restore packages, as well as move them between installations. 5 Butler Direct Limited Technology Infrastructure

6 Skills required for using the product include some knowledge of procedural computing languages, SQL, and a conceptual understanding of how the Web works. Developers will need to learn BeanShell, a scripted version of Java, and XML. According to Mart Technology even a relatively inexperienced developer can become proficient in MT Studio within three to six weeks, whilst experienced Web-developers and Java programmers will more rapidly leverage their skills. The company offers on-site training or at Mart Technology s premises, with two days training considered sufficient to bring developers up to speed. Web-based training and self-study is planned for the future. There is no additional product requirement necessary other than a database licence for an alternate database to the one supplied. Platforms supported include: All Windows OSs, although XP is recommended; Linux with Fedora (the open source project where standard edition Red Hat has moved) and SUSE recommended; Mac OS X; and Solaris. The server side can be executed on any servlet engine, regardless of platform, as long as it complies with JDK 1.3. The licensing structure combines development and run-time due to MT Studio being Web-based applications running on the same platform as the end-user applications. Therefore the licence does not differentiate between developers and end-users. A single developer licence for MT Studio costs 395, and for multiple concurrent users: 5 users 1500, 10 users 2400, and 30 users CPU licences place no limit on the number of users: a single CPU licence is priced at 4000 in practice Mart Technology finds this corresponds to about 30 concurrent users. A dual CPU licence costs 7000 and a quad CPU licence costs The plug-and-play edition, which includes Fedora Linux, Apache Tomcat, and Sybase SQL Anywhere, is priced at 595 for a single developer and for 30 concurrent users it is Product support, such as patches and documentation updates, are freely downloadable to customers from Mart Technology s Web site. Automatic product upgrades on release of new versions can be purchased on an ongoing basis at 20% of the license costs (renewable annually), and technical support can be purchased on a per incident basis. Incidents can be registered over the Web 24x7 or by phone during normal working hours. Incidents can be purchased in a three-pack for 150 or a ten-pack for 350. On-site support is also available for an extra charge. A typical project installation value to Mart Technology is worth between 30,000 to 250,000. Of this the license cost represents 10%, with 90% attributed to custom solutions development. PRODUCT STRATEGY Mart Technology targets companies with employees as a core group, however, larger size companies are expected to take up the technology for building Intranet development and possibly prototyping large projects. Another target are small companies with legacy Microsoft Visual Basic and Borland Delphi applications in need of redevelopment, or with outgrown systems written in other environments. The company plans to establish itself in the UK market before expanding in the US. The key market opportunity that Mart Technology perceives is in providing a low cost development tool offering substantial savings to larger companies, and for smaller companies offering bespoke Web-based development as a better alternative to ill-fitting packaged solutions. 6

7 For the future, Mart Technology has an Enterprise Edition under development, which will offer enhanced management, security, and desktop functions, as well as a UML modelling tool. There will also be a Mobile Edition aimed at handheld and mobile devices, and a Report Writer. Routes to market include a Developer Community channel, SMEs targeted through channel and partnership, and large enterprises targeted through direct sales. The key business partnerships are with Sybase and IBM. Competitors include Microsoft, and Macromedia, as well as traditional application development vendors. The company expects to expand quickly. Butler Group believes that as potential customers begin to appreciate the many benefits of rich Webbased applications the take up of a RAD tool like MT Studio will grow. COMPANY PROFILE Mart Technology, headquartered in Pinner, UK, was started in December 1999 by two experienced IT consultants with the expressed intention of developing technology to deliver data over the Web quickly. In doing so, they created a rudimentary IDE and Application Page Server. Having demonstrated the capabilities of this technology though two Web sites of its own, the company then won a contract from a UK plc to redevelop all of their legacy systems for Web delivery. In parallel with the design and development of the systems created for this customer, Mart Technology further developed its IDE and Application Page Server and added two further units a Visual Forms Designer and a client-side Forms and Data handler that runs as either an application or as an applet. From October 2002, Mart Technology has engaged itself fully in turning this technology into a boxed product, which it is now marketing as an integrated, cross-platform, RAD, and runtime environment: MT Studio. The company is privately owned, and projected revenues for fiscal year April 2003 through to March 2004 are under 1 million. SUMMARY Mart Technology has produced a promising RAD tool in MT Studio. As it stands with the standard edition, many SMEs and departments in large organisations will find development dramatically reduced for producing GUI front-ends to database applications. The key distinction in the tool is that it creates rich Web-based applications, using a novel XML-based client/server system. The full functionality realised in rich desktop applications can now be available via the browser all the client requires is the Java JRE (1.4 or higher), the MTClient applet downloads automatically. The tool requires only basic programming experience, which will appeal to novice programmers and also draw-in business analysts who will find that they can proto-type complete Web-based applications in minimal time. The company is actively seeking partners to promote the product, which was first launched in 2003, and as an early market entrant in rich Web-based applications, Butler Group expects much interest to be generated. The year ahead will see new editions released extending the reach of the tool, however, the emphasis is currently to enhance the standard edition and capture a market share of the target audience. Butler Group can recommend MT Studio for consideration where easy-to-use RAD tools are required, offering the advantages of tailor-made custom design and browser accessibility. 7 Butler Direct Limited Technology Infrastructure

8 CONTACT DETAILS Mart Technology Ltd. Westbury House Bridge Street Pinner, Middlesex HA5 3HR UK Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) Important Notice: For more information on Butler Group s Subscription Services, contact: This report contains data and information up-to-date and correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of preparation. The data and information comes from a variety of sources outside our direct control, therefore Butler Direct Limited cannot give any guarantees relating to the content of this report. Ultimate responsibility for all interpretations of, and use of, data, information and commentary in this report remains with you. Butler Direct Limited will not be liable for any interpretations or decisions made by you. Europa House, 184 Ferensway, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 3UT, UK Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0)