ALK Technologies Inc., which develops global routing, mileage, mapping and route GPS navigation software, has introduced PC*MILER Web Services, a hosted interfacing application that provides map data and functionality

quickly and efficiently.
It does this regardless of the IT infrastructure via a schema driven XML/SOAP interface developed in Microsoft.NET, packaged as a web service.
PC*MILER Web Services represents an important way for businesses to communicate with each other. It does not provide the user with a graphical user interface and instead shares PC*MILER's functionality via the web making it easier to connect to the necessary components of PC*MILER to enhance your application or system interface.
For example, necessary data for an individual shipment can pass instantly from PC*MILER Web Services' outsourced Level3 servers that host the service through an AS/400 corporate server to a Windows or even Linux-based workstation. Virtually any other platform or operating system is compatible, including UNIX, Java, Perl and others.
The data sent from PC*MILER to the end-user is processed in the needed form - as mileage (for billing, driver pay, or fuel tax reporting), precise toll costs, route maps or as dock-to-dock street-level directions. This process is transparent to the end-user who simply sees updated PC*MILER data available in a usable format.
"Our customers asked us to help solve their cross-platform problems," said Kara Jo Witkowski, senior product manager, business solutions for ALK Technologies. "PC*MILER Web Services is our response. This universally compatible interfacing application helps to facilitate the sharing of PC*MILER data from a secure enterprise-ready data center hosting the functionality of PC*MILER."
"It provides the tools to build whatever systems you want to easily populate an application with the necessary operational data and features needed," added Witkowski. "PC*MILER Web Services enables different applications from different sources to communicate, eliminating time-consuming and costly custom programming."
In addition to motor carriers, PC*MILER Web Services provides profit-driving benefits for shippers and third-party logistics companies. Since all features can be accessed from anywhere via any platform and configuration, customers continually benefit from PC*MILER functionality even when upgrading or changing their IT infrastructure.
For more information, visit www.alk.com.