Among the many measurement concerns for marketers and media companies on the Web is processing the mounds of data that a Web site generates. One new venture hopes to help that effort.

Andromedia, a San Francisco startup, this week starts marketing software capable of handling gigabytes of data and generating reports in real time. The software is priced at $1,800 to $35,000, depending on site traffic. Now in test, Andromedia's product will be commercially available Sept. 1.

"You go to places like Pathfinder or CNET and they're just crying for this product," said Kent Godfrey, president-CEO. The company also is collaborating with Internet Profiles Corp. to find ways to woo users into providing more data about themselves.

TIMELY REPORTING IS THE KEY

Among Web media buyers, the length of time some sites take to provide reports and the amount of data they provide, are concerns.

Data providers hope agencies will acknowledge that keeping up with Web innovations is hard.

"When you look at Shockwave and Java and RealAudio, every one of these things throws challenges at you," said David Harkness, senior VP at Nielsen Media Research.

The Advertising Research Foundation takes up this issue and others at its Interactive Media Research Summit II in New York this week.