Informatica Upgrades Cloud Integration Platform

Cloud integration platform developer Informatica has pre-released its Informatica Cloud Winter 2012, a new data integration solution the company says simplifies and adds more functionality to the process of cloud integration and hybrid IT environments. The new release features a contact validation service, a new connectivity framework and enhanced support for real-time integration with Salesforce CRM and Force.com.

The new version echoes early platforms in its focus on a self-service data integration model, adding a wizard-driven service that verifies and corrects postal and email addresses and checks phone numbers against the National Do Not Call Registry in the United States. The contact validation service is available as an add-on within the existing Informatica Cloud editions and as a transaction-based pay-as-you go service via Informatica Cloud Express.

Informatica Cloud Winter 2012 also adds Rapid Connectivity Framework, which allows INFORM partners to quickly develop connectivity to any packaged source or target application and make them available on the Informatica Marketplace.

The platform’s Cloud Connectors, meanwhile, features 40 pre-built process-centric templates, including those for SAP and Salesforce CRM Account and Contact synchronization and Oracle EBS and Salesforce Order status synchronization.

Informatica also is putting more focus on hybrid IT infrastructures with the new release, adding enhanced real-time outbound messaging support for Salesforce CRM and Force.com, API support for Salesforce CRM and Force.com and built-in Live Chat included with Enterprise 24/7 customer support.

Informatica Cloud Winter 2012 is in pre-release as of November 17 and will be generally available in January 2012. The vendor also introduced Informatica Cloud Express, a usage-based subscription model of its platform that offers pay-as-you-go pricing and is aimed at the small and mid-sized business market.