Microsoft Readies New Bridging Tool

"Redmond's new 'Information Bridge Framework' is designed to make Office-back office connectivity more transparent.

Microsoft is readying a new tool that is designed to connect Microsoft Office applications to back-end enterprise systems.

The tool, called the 'Information Bridge Framework,' or IBF, is on tap to debut at the company's Tech Ed 2004 conference in San Diego next week, sources said.

IBF is designed to connect Web services to the Office client with no 'extra hops' or intermediate servers required.

IBF is designed to build on top of the XML support that Microsoft already has built into its Office System 2003 applications, such as Word, Excel and Outlook. IBF will allow developers and information-worker users to expose 'enterprise business objects' and then pull them right into their familiar Office documents."

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