Actuate today announced the launch of Actuate iServer Express, a full-featured report server for both Eclipse BIRT and e.Spreadsheet reports. iServer Express provides the report security, scheduling, management and distribution functionality that application users demand without the complexity of hand-coding. This off-the-shelf alternative retains the flexibility needed to easily integrate these features into any application environment. iServer Express is the latest in a series of Actuate initiatives to support the success of BIRT developers, building on already available resources including BIRT Exchange, technical support, training and interactive reporting functionality.

iServer Express provides the following key services:

-- Easy installation: automated report delivery that can be up and running in less than 60 minutes

-- Security: secures reporting in a way that tailors to application user needs and fits with existing infrastructure

-- Scheduling and distribution: gives application users the reports they want, when and how they want them without needless burden on IT

-- Integration: gives developers complete control over the application user experience without sacrificing flexibility

iServer Express is built by an engineering team with 12 years of experience building enterprise-scale deployment services and leading-edge development tools, including BIRT. iServer Express includes a fully-documented Web Services API to replicate any function in any application, as well as a range of URL-based integration options. The product also has built-in security for granting permissions so that each user can only see the data and report components they are authorized to see, application developers can control user access via sheet, row or column-level permissions; and custom-render each report for a particular user. It includes a web-based scheduler, for use by anyone, with event- and time-based scheduling, job notification, parameter setting and a range of other options.

“For the past year, we’ve had a continual dialogue with BIRT users that contributed to an impressive two million plus downloads of BIRT. What we’re hearing is that a certain class of BIRT applications warrants off-the-shelf security and scheduling,” said Rich Guth, vice president and general manager, Java Group at Actuate. “I encourage developers to visit BIRT Exchange to review and download iServer Express for themselves, to evaluate whether the product can enhance their application.”

Visit BIRT Exchange to download a trial version of iServer Express as well as to explore documentation and discussion forums on the topic. Launched in September 2007, BIRT Exchange is already home to approximately 20,000 developers interested in BIRT reporting and spreadsheets in Java. The site is a place to share ideas, technical tips and code as well as a place to explore how to build reporting into applications. BIRT Exchange is now offering a new bi-monthly technical webinar series for Eclipse, BIRT, Java and report developers, the first of which will feature iServer Express. This adds another resource to the existing forums, wiki, demos, downloads, documentation, BIRTing Out Loud blog and the popular DevShare portal.

iServer Express is available immediately. A free download is available for trial evaluations. Pricing starts at $150 per user.