THE BOTTOM LINE

Siebel has created its Universal Application Network plan (UAN) to help alleviate steep integration costs that have eroded past customers' returns. Provided Siebel can deliver on its promise, Nucleus thinks the UAN is a step in the right direction. By co-opting integration software specialists like SeeBeyond, webMethods, and Microsoft, UAN will help Siebel's customers connect applications without breaking the bank. By productizing business process definitions, Siebel will help bring down the cost of orchestration.