UK software start-up Zogix aims to bring the emerging technology of data "mash up" under enterprise control with its Zogix Webtop Framework (ZWF) platform.

Launched this week as a beta test version at Internet World in London, the package covers all the fashionable new wave Web 2.0 applications such as collaboration, "social networking", and multiple data streams for mash ups.

But the package also works in the context of traditional enterprise IT by operating through a control centre where access policies can be set by a systems administrator.

"Web 2.0 applications are about personalisation and flexibility but you have to balance this with proper controls to protect enterprise data. We do this through the control centre to ensure that only authorised people get access," explains Charles Vivian, vice president of operations and co-founder of Zogix.

Vivian, in common with his two co-founders, spotted the potential for ZWF while working as consultants at Deloitte. They identified the need for a way to bring multiple systems together under a single regime to improve knowledge workers' productivity.

"Knowledge workers in large enterprises need to access multiple systems and data sources through lots of different interfaces. We have created a single interface that can bring them all together so that you not only view data but you can interact with it."

The ZWF platform works through a set of widgets which provide interfaces to common software platforms such as Oracle. Vivian says widgets to link to bespoke applications would typically take a few days to build and Zogix aims to set up a widget exchange where developers can publish their solutions.

Meanwhile, Zogix is working closely with Oracle and several other technology partners to extend the ZWF platform. Later this year, Vivian says Zogix intends to publish part of the ZWF platform as open source to promote further development. ®