Intrexx

Intrexx is an integrated cross-platform development environment for the creation and operation of web-based applications, enterprise portals and intranet portals. A portal is created according to the drag and drop principle, without the need for programming. Furthermore, Intrexx can create mobile applications for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and the like with just a few mouse clicks.

History

The first version of the software was established by the German software vendor United Planet in 1999 under the name “Intrazone”. In the year 2000, the software was renamed in “Intrexx Xtreme”. With the release of Intrexx 5.0 in March 2010, the product line split into the editions Intrexx Professional and Intrexx Compact. Intrexx Professional is the continuation of the Xtreme series and still addresses medium-sized companies, organizations and public administrations. Intrexx Compact contains a complete company portal with more than 50 ready-made web-applications and templates. It especially addresses the target group of SMBs with up to 10 PC workstations. According to the manufacturer, there have been implemented more than 4.000 Intrexx portals by now (State: 2012).^[1] 2012 the US IT research and advisory company Gartner Inc. placed United Planet with Intrexx in its renown market overview “Magic Quadrant for Horizontal Portals”.^[2]

Milestones:

• Intrexx 2.0 (2004): Enhanced tools to integrate existing data from third party systems
• Intrexx 3.0 (2006): Integration of a so-called “Process Manager“, allowing companies to transfer business processes graphically, connect them and to automate them.
• Intrexx 4.0 (2007): Possibility to consume and provide web services ^[3]
• Intrexx 4.5 (2008): Integration of the dynamic programming language „Groovy“^[4]
• Intrexx 5.0 (2010):
  • Intrexx provides the possibility to convert web-based applications during their creation to be accessed from mobile devices without programming.^[5]
  • Improved accessibility according to the W3C standards
• Intrexx 6.0 (2012):
  • With the new module “Relationship Designer” data from all existing software systems within the company can be connected, irrespective of their manufacturer.
  • Business Adapters for SAP NetWeaver Gateway and all OData data sources
  • Technological basis for the new Social Business Software Intrexx Share
• Intrexx Share (2013):
  • Intrexx Share expands Intrexx with a new type of Social Business solution that harnesses the communication technologies, which are known from social networks (Facebook, Twitter etc.), for use in enterprises.
  • Intrexx Share stands out from the other Social Business solutions because not only are a company's employees included in the knowledge exchange, but also the software solutions (e.g. Intranet, CRM, ERP, BI, Exchange etc.).
  • If somebody writes or edits data in Intrexx Share's work interface, this is written in realtime to the corresponding specialized application. This means that employees are able to react to news feeds, which are created by the specialized applications, directly from Intrexx Share.
  • Exchanging data and documents is more secure with Intrexx Share than with many other Social Business solutions which often come from the USA. This is because the data is stored on the protected company server and not in the Cloud.
• Intrexx 7.0 (2014):
  • Further improvements to Intrexx's ability to integrate thanks to the OData Adapter and M-Files Adapter.
  • The Intrexx Formula Editor enables the creation of computational calculations for the first time in the Portal Manager.
  • Introduction of the new Calendar and Resource controls.
  • User-friendlier file handling with multiple file uploads.
• Intrexx 8.0 (2016):
  • It’s now possible to create pages and applications with responsive design.
  • Instead of the previously used Apache Lucene, Apache Solr is implemented as a search engine in the context of the portal process.
  • The search function has been expanded with new filtering options and the ability to search in multiple languages.
  • Language constants and translation help simplify the creation of multilingual portals and applications.
  • Designing applications in the Applications Designer is made easier thanks to templates and helplines – meaning that applications can be created faster than ever before.

Architecture

Intrexx basically consists of two parts:

Intrexx Portal Manager

It is installed on any client or on the server and possesses all the components for developing and managing layout, menu or applications. Also the setup of the users with the rights to the respective applications of an portal takes place in the Portal Manager of Intrexx.

Intrexx Portal Server

It is installed on a server and controls all transactions of the created web-based applications and portals. It monitors the rights of the users within the transactions, controls the entire business logic operations and governs access to the data sources.

Functions

Intrexx provides companies with the possibility to create and manage multi-lingual web-based applications, intranet portals and enterprise portals. In doing so, the software sees itself as an alternative to Microsoft SharePoint, IBM WebSphere and SAP NetWeaver Portal.^[6] Design and usability of the portal are provided by the integrated portal designer based on CSS and XML, enabling the adoption to the corporate identity of the company via XSL-transformations. Single sign-on guarantees a secure authentication and role-based authorization. The synchronization with existing LDAP-servers is possible.

Intrexx is based 100% on Java and contains the following modules:

Designer

The Designer allows enterprises to create their portal layout according to their individual corporate identity: colors, fonts, symbols, buttons and menu structures can be selected via mouse click from lists as well as a multitude of already premade design templates.

Applications

With the Application Designer, applications and forms can be created without programming knowledge - via drag and drop. With the help of a wizard, users select the desired edit and output controls, as well as the required buttons, and create applications - for the desktop PC, laptop, and smartphone.

Processes

Thanks to the graphical interface of the Process Designer, processes can be transferred into electronic workflows and automated by Drag-and-drop. The user can also define conditions and actions.

Relations

The graphic Relationship Designer can link up the data from all existing software systems within a company, irrespective of their manufacturer. Once a specific piece of information is invoked, the Intrexx Relationship Designer automatically searches the linked systems for thematically connected information and displays it for the employees on the intranet in a concentrated manner.

Users

In the User Manager, one can define who may access which applications and functions in the portal. It is possible to make the access rights dependent on the function of the employee or combine specific employees into one rights group.

Integration

With Intrexx, users have direct read and write access to almost any database in an enterprise, as well as import or export its data. In the same way, ERP systems like SAP ERP can be connected with read and/or write scenarios.

Tools

Intrexx contains different tools that support the administrator in his/her work. A System Monitor, for example, shows the current system load, the activities in the enterprise portal, the status of memory use, and the connections to the database as well. The Task Planner delivers an overview of all running processes.

Interfaces

Special Business Integration Adapters allow the integration of data from third party systems such as SAP (SAP Business Suite, SAP Business One), IBM Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange (2003/2007/2010) as well as the integration of JDBC databases and OData data sources. A special Business Adapter for Microsoft Office also allows the organization of Microsoft Office Documents within the enterprise portal.

Ready-made applications

Similar to Apple the vendor United Planet offers ready-made business applications, forms, processes and layout templates in the so-called Intrexx Application Store.^[7]

Awards

• JDK.de Innovation Award (Jdk.de, 2009)
• Jury list „Großer Preis des Mittelstandes (2009, 2011)
• Nominated for JAX Innovation Award (2008)
• Innovation Award in the category SOA (Initiative Mittelstand, 2008)
• Innovation Award of the German Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Ministry of Economics Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, 2005)^[8]
• Innovation Award of the City of Freiburg (City of Freiburg, 2004)
• Product of the Year (PC-Magazine, 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003)
• Newcomer of the Year (Computer Reseller News, 2001)
• Winner of the Intranet Benchmark Test (Internet Professional, 2000)

References

1. ↑ Website United Planet GmbH
2. ↑ "Gartner's Magic Quadrant For Horizontal Portals: Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, Liferay Top Dogs". CMS Wire. Retrieved 2012-10-26. 
3. ↑ PC Pro Review of Intrexx Xtreme 4.0
4. ↑ "United Planet takes groovy approach to Intrexx Xtreme 4.5". IT Backbones Computing News. Retrieved 2008-09-25. 
5. ↑ "Intrexx Makes Portal Apps Mobile Without Programming". CMS Wire. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
6. ↑ "Intrexx offers real alternative to IBM, SAP and Microsoft portal platforms". United Planet. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
7. ↑ Intrexx Application Store
8. ↑ Winner Innovation Award of the German Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg 2005

External links

• Official website