Networking giant Cisco Systems is working with middleware specialist Tibco to develop a technology which they claim will double Internet bandwidth.

The two companies are preparing a specification for a 'publish and subscribe' method of delivering information across the Internet. The proposed standard has been endorsed by JavaSoft, Sun Microsystems, Verisign and Netcom among others. It will be submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force next year.

Tibco, which developed the technology, said it will replace the multiple request and reply 'conversations' that take place between sources of information on the Web and users. Under the Tibco model, news or information updates are replicated across the Web, and 'pushed' to subscribing users.

According to Tibco, its system has been used in financial institutions worldwide, and can reduce network traffic by around 50%.

Cisco's UK marketing manager Nigel Stephenson said: 'The system will allow applications to send out a single document and have it replicated to interested parties. Its intelligent distribution of content should also mean that users get content tailored to their requirements.'

According to Stephenson, Cisco is developing 'hooks' in its Internetwork Operating System software to work with publish and subscribe systems.

Scott McNealy, chief executive of Sun, said: 'Publish and subscribe is the only model you can use to allow your company to continue to evolve without having to do major 'throw the switch' transitions to your applications.'

Sun's Javasoft division is developing a Java Message Services specification to work with the proposed standard. 'We're looking forward to making Java an integral part of publish and subscribe,' said McNealy.

Informix will incorporate Tibco's technology into its databases. Informix and Tibco will develop an 'event' software module to plug into the DataBlade architecture of Informix's Universal server.

Additional reporting by VNU Newswire.