Netscape acquisition opens up intranet integration market

Netscape is to pay $180 million for Kiva Software, a two-year-old US company that develops programs to run and distribute applications over large corporate networks and the internet.

Kiva's products, including its enterprise server, are expected to be packaged with Netscape's SuiteSpot set of server applications. They will add functionality for high-bandwidth traffic flow over the internet, using http and support for the Java Virtual Machine.

The server software is aimed at the high end of the market, averaging about $30,000 each. The uniting of the product lines will allow Netscape to supply larger enterprises of a few thousand users, and also integrate with common database platforms from vendors, including Oracle, Informix and Sybase.

John Paul, Netscape senior VP of products, said: 'I think this is an emerging market. There is no major competitor in this arena and we think we can be the first major player to provide an offering.'

The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with integrated products, focusing on corporate intranet development, expected shortly afterward.