MKS Inc.

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This article is about MKS Inc., the software vendor. For other uses, see MKS.
MKS Inc.
MKS Inc.
Type Public (TSX: MKX)
Founded 1984
Headquarters Waterloo, Ontario
Industry Computer software
Products MKS Integrity, Implementer, MKS Toolkit, MKS Lex & Yacc, MKS X/Server
Employees 300 est. (2006)
Slogan One Architecture, One Solution, Total Visibility
Website www.mks.com

MKS Inc. (TSX: MKX) is an independent software vendor focused on the enterprise Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) market with its process centric MKS Integrity system. Rather than offering single point products in each of the domains of ALM, MKS has taken a single solution, single repository approach to addressing the challenges of requirements management, development, test management, release management and portfolio management which encompasses project, application and IT operations portfolios. By introducing this approach, the company believes that it solves the many collaborative challenges traditionally associated with managing software development using different tools.

Previously named Mortice Kern Systems Inc., MKS is the company that created the MKS Toolkit, an implementation of many Unix utilities and porting libraries for the Microsoft Windows platform. As part of the interoperability product line MKS also offers the MKS X/Server, which was previously owned by SCO and then Tarantella, Inc. and branded as X/Vision, and a commercial version of Lex & Yacc.

The focus on the ALM market started back in 1992 when the company released the MKS Source Integrity version control system. In 1997 MKS began development of a new, more scalable enterprise version management system that formed the underlying architecture of the MKS Integrity ALM product offered today. Also available under the ALM banner is Implementer, a change control system for the IBM iSeries.

MKS is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and has a customer roster which includes many global 1000 organizations [1].

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] The early years 1984–2000: inception, interoperability and going public

Mortice Kern Systems was founded in 1984 by four University of Waterloo students, Randall Howard, Alex White, Trevor Thompson and Steve Izma. The company, founded initially to consult, delivered to market its first product, the MKS Toolkit, in 1985. In 1987, MKS stepped into the version control market with a product called MKS RCS, which was renamed to MKS Source Integrity in 1992, deciding at that time to put strategic emphasis and focus expansion on the software configuration management marketplace.

In 1999 MKS invested the bulk of its R&D efforts towards re-architecting MKS Source Integrity as a multi-tier J2EE platform to address the needs of large enterprise installations.

In the 1999–2000 timeframe, the company also embarked on a web content management strategy with the launch of a product called Web Integrity. This precipitated a spin off strategy, resulting in the formation of a company called Vertical Sky. This short-lived venture was not successful, and the company abandoned its content management product and regrouped and rebuilt under the MKS brand name in 2001.

[edit] 2000–present: The rise of application lifecycle management

In 2001, following the company's restructuring and refinancing, MKS shifted its primary focus to the enterprise market, expanding from its desktop-based version control and defect tracking system to the multi-tier software change and configuration management (SCM) system. The new product, now known as MKS Integrity, had a J2EE foundation and was brought to market in June, 2001. Since that time, the company has expanded feature sets beyond SCM, into what is now called in the marketplace, Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), with the incorporation of requirements management and release management in 2005, and test management and portfolio management in 2006. As of 2006, the ALM revenues for the company constitute over 80% of the annual revenues (MKS Inc. (2006-06-07). MKS Announces Record Revenue and Earnings for Fiscal 2006. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-11-08.).

The company's current leadership includes Philip Deck, CEO, who joined MKS in 2001, Michael Harris, President and COO, appointed in July 2002, Douglas Sawatzky, formerly VP Finance, as Chief Financial Officer in February, 2006.

As of 2006 MKS has offices in Canada, the United States, The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Singapore and Japan with customers all over the world. MKS is distinguished for its leadership in shaping the software development industry with the products it offers and has a history of innovative firsts (MKS Inc. (2006-06-01). MKS Hits a Home Run with SD Times - Company Recognized as an Innovation Leader for Fourth Straight Year. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-11-08.).

MKS conducts research and development in Waterloo, Ontario, benefiting from the company's close proximity to the University of Waterloo and its world renowned math and computer sciences program and its co-op placement program as well as other post secondary educational institutions like Wilfrid Laurier University, Conestoga College and University of Guelph.

[edit] Timeline

[edit] MKS Products

[edit] Application Lifecycle Management

  • MKS Integrity for Process and Workflow
  • MKS Portfolios
  • MKS Requirements
  • MKS Source
  • MKS Test
  • MKS Deploy
  • OpenMake

[edit] MKS System i5

  • ExtractDB
  • Implementer
  • NewVersion

[edit] MKS Interoperability

  • MKS Toolkit for Developers
  • MKS Toolkit for Enterprise Developers
  • MKS Lex & Yacc
  • MKS X/Server
  • AlertCenter

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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