ILOG TGF 2.0 is also the first product of its kind to offer integrated Java clients in response to the growing popularity of Java in the telecom industry, as equipment makers strive for platform-independence as a strategy for managing the many legacy and new technologies comprising today's communications networks. Recently, the term has been used to describe applications accessed on desktop computers using a web browser. Along with the complexity inherent in having more remote network operators and different technologies comes rapidly shrinking product development cycles that require applications to be deployed in days, not months or years. Because it provides all the graphics and services necessary for developers to build a rich, interactive presentation layer, ILOG TGF 2.0 reduces development time by up to 80 percent compared with building the presentation layer from scratch. Network Management on Handheld Devices Thin client support in ILOG TGF 2.0 means that network management can be supported using web browsers from remote locations.
Thin clients require lower maintenance because applications are maintained on the server.
GartnerGroup Datapro reported last year that thin clients can reduce staffing costs by up to 80 percent and can speed application deployment, allowing software to be deployed or upgraded in hours rather than weeks or months. When it is available this fall, ILOG TGF 2.0 will allow WAP access. Meanwhile, Java clients have exploded in popularity in the communications field because they are faster and easier to deploy that other client technologies and they are platform-independent. They are also gaining favor because there is growing number of developers who prefer working with the language. Many network management platform architectures for next-generation broadband communications, including DSL cable and optical networks, are based on Java technology.