Looking to extend its reach into business-intelligence portals, Computer Associates is releasing a new version of its CleverPath business-intelligence, data-management, and portal software suite. The new software will expand the number of ways users can access and act on information.

Updates in the portal component offer new search capabilities and a range of customization options, simplified administration, improved XML- and Web-programming interfaces, and other performance and scalability gains. The product also has new development tools for building and deploying executive dashboards that display key performance indicators and business metrics.

CleverPath leads competing software because it goes beyond accessing data to provide data analysis and dissemination, says Aberdeen Group analyst Guy Creese. "Portals can create their own problems of information overload," he says. CA takes the position that for a portal to be useful it must be backed by a collection of technologies such as predictive analysis.

The CleverPath release also has collaboration portlets with instant messaging, browser-content sharing, and audio and video conferencing. A new access-control option has user authentication and single sign-on security functions. And a new release of the CleverPath Aion business-rules engine supports Linux and provides Web services access to business rules within the CleverPath infrastructure and in user apps.

The new software will be available next month. Prices are based on the size and type of server and operating system the software will run on, starting at $22,000 for the portal, $6,000 for the collaboration option, $5,000 for the dashboard option, $5,000 for the access control option, and $15,000 for the business-rules engine.