BPM in Action

The August 5, 2008 announcement by Ultimus of its latest version--8.1--reminds me not to forget that that there is a pretty strong parallel universe of Microsoft Windows business process management (BPM) users out there. They tend to get overshadowed both by Microsoft itself and by the press which concentrates on the BPM companies that get big publicity machines behind them (because their venture capitalists insist on it). In a parallel universe, no PR is required.

The situation is similar to what was happening in the ERP market 10 years ago (why do I keep writing those words? Is there a trend here or am I just wishing for simpler days?). Ten years ago few had heard of Great Plains Software unless they had journeyed to a Stampede in Fargo. Then all of a sudden Microsoft paid a billion dollars for Great Plains in late 2000 and everyone asked "Where did these guys come from?" Well they were always out there under the grain elevator in the parallel universe that explains why Microsoft sells as much software as measured by revenue (and much more as measured by instances) than IBM, SAP and Oracle combined.

Metastorm users are part of this universe as described here but no supplier is as tightly tied to Redmond as Ultimus. Version 7.1 was announced in September 2005 and Version 8 in 2007 so the product experiences the typical 18-month release cycle.

Version 8 provided tighter integration with Microsoft SharePoint, collaborative clients, SOA-based architecture, and easier access to business data via a new XML data model. It is strongly .NET based with a graphical model process flow in the design tools and a business rules engine (BRE) that the company has described to me as the "primary focus of our product." Metadata is managed through database state management and integration facilities using .NET and Web services that let Ultimus support the intelligent process automation functionality I have begun to re-look at recently (the combo of BPM and BI). The new version includes migration tools to support more real-time process management..In addition to migration capabilities, 8.1 iexpands support of Microsoft Vista, greater visibility of business data through enhanced reporting (including new 3D graphics), and support for Microsoft virtual technologies.

I am not positive but I believe the 13-/14-year old company was completely bootstrapped but high-powered, IPO-experienced software industry executives were brought in in 2007 so I would expect some venture funding is on the way (if it has not already arrived) and a possible IPO depending on how Metastorm does.

Then who knows? As happened in Fargo, where Northwest almost had to open up a Seattle shuttle, the Cary-Seattle flights may start to get crowded.