IBM has launched a new mashup service for its Cognos 8 business intelligence suite today, as well as updated its Mashup Center software to plug into more enterprise sources.

The new offering, soberly called IBM Cognos 8 Mashup Service, is an application programming interface (API) that exposes content from the Cognos platform as a web service so it can be used by other business applications, data models, or mashups.

Mashup Center provides access to widgets that can be dragged-and-dropped into the mashup a user is creating. A Google news widget tracking a certain customer, for example, can be plopped into Mashup Center along with Cognos data.

At the same time, IBM has updated its Mashup Center software with improved integration points, security, and library tools.

Mashup Center now integrates with RESTful services, Microsoft Sharepoint, WebSphere MQ and FileNet.

The new version lets businesses filter malicious content and block the use of un-trusted widgets. In addition, Mashup Center is now compliant with Section 208 of the US federal government's E-Government Act that regulates government agencies and contractors.

Mashup Center also now lets businesses create collections of mashup pages around a specific project or need. It also has added a new browser-based tool that lets users create simple widgets from mashups. ®

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