Zend Server 5.6: Mac Developers Get a New Tool for Rapid Web Application Development Using PHP

CUPERTINO, Calif., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zend, the PHP Company, today announced the general availability of Zend Server 5.6, the latest version of its industry leading PHP web app server, which includes new support for Mac developers. The new version of Zend Server makes it possible for developers on the Mac OS X platform to quickly develop or modernize web-based applications that are targeted for deployment to Linux and Windows production environments. For the growing numbers of IT organizations using PHP and bringing Macs into the development environment, Zend Server 5.6 offers important advantages for both app performance and quality, and productive collaboration on the web and in the cloud.

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According to Zend CEO Andi Gutmans, "Zend is seeing increased demand for Zend Server's enterprise-class capabilities from the community that develops on the Mac development platform. We've seen this demand for Mac support from the Zend PHP developer community, at the annual ZendCon event, on Zend Forums, and among user groups worldwide. Now, Mac developers can leverage the agility of PHP for web app development when they use Zend Server, with the best PHP runtime, powerful monitoring, diagnostics and performance optimization."

Rapid Development of High Quality Web Apps

• Zend Server 5.6 provides a complete, fully integrated PHP stack including the latest PHP runtime and Zend Framework, the leading PHP application framework. Rather than spend time installing, configuring and tracking PHP libraries and drives, developers can focus on coding.
• Proactive application monitoring and alerts keep developers informed of potential errors or bottlenecks in real-time. Zend Server's Code Tracing provides a detailed execution history to help developers pinpoint and resolve root cause issues quickly and eliminate 'trial and error' troubleshooting.
• Mac developers can also leverage Zend Server capabilities such as Job Queue and other performance optimizations including code acceleration, full page caching and data caching to help developers improve application response times, reduce server load, and improve the end-user experience (with Zend Server 5.6, Job Queue is also fault-tolerant). Many customers report performance boosts of 200% and more for typical PHP applications, coupled with reduced resource utilization.
• Developers using Zend Server 5.6 can extend its benefits for large-scale PHP deployments by using Zend Server Cluster Manager, with the ability to centrally monitor and manage multiple Zend Server instances and ensure HA and scalability of PHP apps.
• Zend Server supports the industry's most robust PHP/Java Bridge. This allows enterprises to adopt a PHP standard while leveraging their Java infrastructure, or specific Java apps such as SIP signaling in the communications industry or JDBC for creating connectivity to SQL databases.
• Customers using Zend Server receive proactive notifications of and fixes for PHP issues. For example, Zend Server 5.6 includes a fix for a denial-of-service vulnerability recently found in a number of major computer languages. This makes the Zend PHP runtime one of the first environments to release a version with this vulnerability resolved.
• Developers can also enjoy the benefits of Zend Server in the Zend Developer Cloud (available at phpcloud.com), which provides a free developer sandbox designed for fast, efficient coding. It's only a few clicks away, requires no installation, offers the flexibility to use a variety of tools, and facilitates collaboration.

Customer Quotes:

Nicolas Fabre, CTO, Emakina France

"The release of Zend Server for Mac is great news for our development teams, who want to use Zend Server's Job Queue without having to run it in a virtual machine using a different OS. Now they can use Zend Server natively on their Macs to optimize application page load times, delivering an improved end-user experience for our websites."  Emakina is a full-service interactive agency with a portfolio of top-flight global brands including Belgacom, Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, KLM and many others.

Frederic Glucks, Geschaftsfuhrer / Managing Director, CONFTEC GmbH

"Conftec provides a unique and user-friendly online experience for buyers of fine jewelry, so the performance and reliability of our websites is vital to our success. With Zend Server 5.6, we can now provide our Mac developers with the same enterprise-class PHP monitoring, troubleshooting and optimization tools that we've come to rely on in our Linux development environment." Conftec's web-based approach to jewelry acquisition allows customers to self-design wedding rings and other jewelry, which is then created to the customer's specifications by professional jewelry designers.

Zend Training, Certification and Consulting

• Zend offers training for developers at all skill levels via live instruction online, in class, or onsite for developer teams.
• For career development, Zend is known worldwide for its courses and exams to attain Zend Certified Engineer Certifications for PHP and for Zend Framework.
• Zend Global Consulting provides a variety of packaged and customized services including application audits (architecture, performance and security audits), PHP migrations, and other services

Product Information

Zend Server 5.6 (http://www.zend.com/en/products/server)

Zend Server video (http://static.zend.com/topics/videos/zend-server-introduction/)

About Zend Technologies

Zend is the leading provider of software and services for developing, deploying and managing business-critical applications in PHP, which runs more than one-third of the world's Web sites. Zend's industry-leading PHP solutions, including Zend Server and Zend Studio, are deployed at more than 40,000 companies worldwide, including eBay, Best Buy, Cisco Webex, Fiat, France Telecom/Orange, NYSE Euronext, UBM, Villeroy & Boch and other renowned brands. To learn more about Zend solutions for the entire application lifecycle, visit www.zend.com.

SOURCE Zend Technologies