The new FutureSource Workstation -- trader-intuitive display software for real-time quotes, charting, news and analysis via the Internet -- uses kdb from Kx as its database and analytics engine. Workstation is designed for professional traders, brokers, risk managers, and large institutional and commercial firms. It provides a complete trading solution that makes institutional-quality data and analysis more cost-efficient for any trader.

Current customers include the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Peregrine Financial Group. Available since early 2004, Workstation has so far been adopted by more than 1,000 customers worldwide.

FutureSource selected Kx as its database technology for Workstation based on productivity and performance. "Kdb definitely expedited our time to market for FutureSource Workstation," said Eric Newhuis, FutureSource CTO. "Now that we are in production, the benefits of kdb's performance in analysis and data management have become available to our customers. With kdb we can efficiently store every tick from every market and quickly convert raw data to analytics, so our customers have access to best of breed intraday charts. Similarly, we also can make growing volumes of historical data -- 35 years' worth at present -- available for large-scale analysis with no fear of performance bottlenecks." Because Workstation aggregates feed data from nearly 50 sources, including direct connectivity to most worldwide futures exchanges, it was essential for FutureSource to use a database and time-series analysis platform that could handle high volumes of raw data without losing performance.

The announcement of Workstation also signified a product consolidation strategy for FutureSource, which took the wide variety of tools and features available in the company's separate products and, with Workstation, made them available in a single integrated offering for users. At the back end, kdb became the consolidated database at FutureSource, replacing existing legacy technology that has powered earlier products. Server-side, Workstation runs on standard rack-mounted Linux servers in multiple FutureSource data centers, with full redundancy and geographic distribution to assure availability.

"With Workstation, FutureSource has produced an advanced product that gives traders an enormous advantage in available tools and information," said Arthur Whitney, Kx CTO. "The combination of sophisticated user features, ultra high-end performance, Internet and private network accessibility, and a consolidated back-end data architecture signifies world-class technology capabilities. We are pleased that FutureSource turned to Kx for so many key infrastructure components."