Unisys Corporation has announced the Unisys SOA Vision suite, a set of payment processing products comprising web services that, according to the company, enable clients to build, maintain and capitalize on the benefits of service-oriented architecture (SOA) in a distributed environment.

SOA Vision, implemented with web services, is designed to enable clients to incorporate new products and services within their enterprise faster while reducing IT complexity and overall cost of maintenance.

"Our strategy is to initially deploy SOA Vision for our distributed capture line. Because the Web Device and Web Perfect Image Suites are based upon service-oriented architectures, the door is open to expand our offerings into other non-payment-specific products," says Gary Wallen, vice president and general manager, Unisys Payment Systems.

The Unisys SOA Vision suite is designed to offer the following advantages over traditional approaches to distributed computing:

• Lower implementation costs through increased component reusability and sharing of services across multiple applications.
  
  
• Improved communication among multiple platforms through web services.
  
  
• Simplified management and streamlined support for large networks through centralized applications and tools.
  

Unisys says its SOA Vision Suite provides "building blocks" within an SOA environment. The SOA Vision suite comprises two primary modules -- collections of integrated web services that enable operating system interdependency and help ensure suitability of images for electronic exchange:

Web Perfect Image Suite aims to simplify the management of Unisys Image Quality, Security, Usability and Recognition products, streamlining secure image analysis and providing near-perfect images prior to presentment.

Web Device Suite manages distributed capture devices, such as the Unisys SourceNDP, MyVision X, and UEC Series payment processing systems with a single interface driving those devices, with the intention of reducing implementation time and associated costs. Web Device Suite is designed to respond to client demands for centrally managed networks and address client requirements for thin client solutions. Also, Web Device Suite offers the PerfectMICR capability, which yields near-perfect MICR read rates up to 99.7 percent, according to the company.

Unisys has deployed more than 20,000 SourceNDP worldwide, with 13,500 in Europe. Athic, a European service company responsible for the implementation of thousands of SourceNDP with very large banks, believes web services will accelerate the development of thin client solutions. "We feel the Unisys web service suite will further enhance our distributed capture solutions and optimize seamless integration into thin client networks," says Jacques Bourget, Athic General Manager.