Open-source software suppliers are gearing up their Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings with last week seeing announcements from four key players. SugarCRM (http://www.sugarcrm.com/crm/) has signed a deal with data integration specialist Talend (http://www.talend.com/) and OpSource (http://www.opsource.net/) has signed up on-demand integration provider Boomi (http://www.boomi.com/).

Both deals aim to simplify the integration of applications in a SaaS environment and encourage use of their respective on-demand platforms. If successful the moves could also challenge salesforce.com's AppExchange strategy to open up its platform to broader SaaS applications.

The Talend/SugarCRM deal brings Talend's Open Studio integration software into the SugarCRM fold, opening the door to integrating its open-source customer relationship management (CRM) application with business intelligence and data warehouse applications. Talend Open Studio is available as a free download (http://www.talend.com/download.php), while its Integration Suite and Talend On Demand services are available on subscription.

The deal realises part of SugarCRM's ambition, announced (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/30/sugarcrm_tools/) earlier this year, to build relationships with developers and chip away at salesforce.com's fast-growing AppExchange (http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/07/19/salesforce_apex_platform/) programme.

The deal between OpSource and Boomi is potentially more far-reaching in that it aims to provide full integration between applications in a SaaS environment rather than only data integration. OpSource's web-based, platform claims to offer full support for on-demand applications based on a unit-pricing model.

The Boomi on-demand integration service works through what it refers to as a 'lightweight, dynamic run-time engine called an Atom'. The company says: 'Boomi Atoms contain all the components required to execute an integration process from end-to-end and can be used for SaaS-to-SaaS integration or downloaded behind the firewall for on-premise integration.'®

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