Business Objects SA will debut a release of its data-integration software Monday that tightens the link between business intelligence and data integration. Data Integrator 6.0 is Business Objects' first release of the data ETL (extraction, transformation, and loading) software since the vendor acquired it as part of its buyout of Acta Technology in mid-2002.

Business Objects says the upgrade of the real-time and batch data-integration software simplifies and speeds up data movement and data sharing throughout a company. Given the accelerating pace of business, companies are looking for faster ways to make more information available to a greater number of managers and employees for reporting and analysis.

A key enhancement in Data Integrator 6.0 is its improved metadata-management capabilities that make it easier to update reports when underlying data sources change. This release also supports XML data schemas as well as the Common Warehouse Metamodel and XML metadata-interchange standards.

"It will really improve the amount of time we spend on the rewrite efforts we're always faced with," says Michael Porter, data warehouse architect at CenterPulse AG, which uses an older version of the product. Improved metadata control will make it easier to update reports and restructure databases whenever applications are upgraded, he says. CenterPulse, which manufactures medical implants, uses the ETL software to load supply-chain and manufacturing data into a data warehouse and to integrate enterprise resource planning applications from Oracle with supply-chain applications from Manugistics Group Inc.

The new release also has improved real-time data-extraction and transformation capabilities, including the ability to capture data changes across multiple applications and databases, and other scalability and availability improvements. The software is shipping for Windows and AIX platforms and will support other Unix systems later this quarter. Pricing starts at $75,000 and $150,000 for departmental and enterprise licenses, respectively.