Tibco's First Hardware
February 16, 2009
Tibco Software has rolled out a hardware solution designed to reduce messaging latency and bring down the number of servers firms use for their messaging infrastructure. The appliance, which Tibco describes as its first hardware offering, works in conjunction with its Rendezvous messaging software, commonly used by trading desks.
According to the San Francisco-based company, the Tibco Messaging Appliance P-7500 can generate ten-times greater messaging capacity than software-only solutions, as well as a 50 percent cut in latency. "The messaging infrastructure backbone is at its breaking point," said Tom Laffey, EVP of products and technology at Tibco. "Software has reached its limit in ultra-low-latency messaging, focusing increasing importance on the hardware 'plumbing' to deliver future performance increases."
The Tibco hardware uses field-programmable gate arrays and application-specific integrated circuits and is available in three network configurations. According to the company, the appliance is compatible with existing versions of Rendezvous client libraries and includes redundant power supplies, fans and built-in hardware fault tolerance. Announced in April, the solution, which was developed with networking equipment vendor Solace Systems, is more of a network switch than a general-purpose computer, said Rourke McNamara, Tibco's director of product marketing, at the time. Installation entails "a drop-in replacement for a server running Rendezvous software," he said.
The appliance is "the result of our work with literally hundreds of customers worldwide in all major geographies and markets," said Laffey, adding that it is "the first in a series of hardware products that Tibco plans to offer."
