IBM has released a refreshed and re-packaged edition of its Gluecode application server, in the first formal move since buying Gluecode to crush open source and undercut closed source competitors.

The systems giant has added the Apache Geronimo M5 code base to Gluecode, meaning certified support for Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) 1.4. Geronimo is the open source code foundation for Gluecode. Additional Gluecode features added by IBM include IBM's Java Runtime Edition (JRE), an embedded version of IBM's Cloudscape database and an updated set of database drivers.

Gluecode has also been re-branded, confirming its place in the IBM application server family. Gluecode is now WebSphere Application Server Community Edition (WAS CE).

IBM bought Gluecode in May to improve its competitive chances among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), large departments, enterprises customers and ISVs in the application server market. Gluecode is a small footprint - 60Mb - Java application server that is free for download. IBM will charge WAS CE customers for support, which will start at $900 per server for a year.

Scott Cosby, IBM Gluecode transition executive, told The Register WAS CE would compete against Tomcat, JBoss, JonAS, BEA Systems and Oracle.®