BEA Systems is expected to detail a plan next week to speed its version of Java for servers by letting the software run directly on processors.

Java, invented by Sun Microsystems 10 years ago, is a layer of software that lets programs run on different computers without having to be adapted for each one. Making software portable in this way is useful, but Java comes with a performance penalty.

Sources familiar with the company’s plans said BEA will announce at the JavaOne trade show that it’s working on a version of JRockit–its virtual machine software that runs Java programs–that runs directly on a computer’s hardware. In contrast, most Java today runs on an operating system such as Windows, Linux or Solaris.

Likely processors BEA could support include Intel’s Xeon, IBM’s Power and Sun’s Sparc, one source said.

Source: News.com

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