Crossroads 2002 A-List Award Winners

ILOG, Inc.
Mountain View, CA

ILOG JRules Business Rule Management Software
> Rules Engine for Java Development

CUSTOMERS AT WORK

The Internet is fast becoming a domain filled with complex business interactions. As companies tighten their relationships with customers and partners online, they need to ensure that the business users retain control of these transactions. ILOG’s customers are intent on designing applications that can be flexibly adapted to changing conditions. An e-business software company, a solutions provider, and an insurance company were among the reference customers. Common strategic objectives included:

§ Developing more sophisticated e-business applications

§ Improving customer service

§ Meeting aggressive time-to-market goals

WHY ILOG?

ILOG provides companies with a means of reliably implementing complex, policy-intensive operations in Java applications without resorting to handcoding. ILOG JRules is a high-performance rules engine designed for embedded use in Java applications. It leverages XML and EJB standards. With ILOG JRules, businesses externalize Java application logic into a set of high-level, independent business rules. Developers then adapt or extend rules as new business requirements emerge. In implementation, the rules engine uses a pattern-matching algorithm to recognize data and events and apply the business rules accordingly.

BUSINESS IMPACT

Near-term value: Companies leverage ILOG JRules to cut time from application change and maintenance processes. By externalizing the business logic from the first phase of application design, companies simplify the application development process. Reference customers also note that this has significantly reduced their dependency on additional third-party developers.

Enterprise innovation: Reference customers see ILOG JRules as the key to applications that allow them to respond faster to business change. By externalizing business logic into rules, companies put change in the hands of business analysts instead of developers. At the same time, ILOG’s customers have also developed applications that allow nontechnical users to take control of business rule variables and process workflows. Ultimately, companies equate this flexibility with making their entire organization more responsive to customers and partners.

Technology gains: Using ILOG JRules, companies reduce the total cost of ownership for their Java applications. Consequently, ILOG’s customers leverage the rules engine to increase the number and variety of e-business applications they deliver to their customers. One solutions provider cited ILOG as its primary vehicle for keeping its end-customer costs low. An insurance company noted that ILOG JRules reduced the risk associated with its Java application initiatives.

SUCCESS FACTORS

Project strategy: Embedding a rules engine into Java applications requires a very distinct application design strategy. Companies should work closely with ILOG professionals in the early stages of their project.

Learning: Developers find the ILOG environment user-friendly with a reasonable amount of initial training.

Resources: The mapping of pre-existing business rules is a critical step in the implementation process. Organizations should use this phase of the process to ensure that they maximize their return on a rules-based approach.

Fit: Companies developing sophisticated e-business processes should consider the potential impact of ILOG JRules upon their Java application initiatives.

COMPANY INFO

ILOG (NASDAQ: ILOG) is a public company with 575 employees.

800.367.4564
www.ilog.com
Published: January 2002