eBusiness and web services Smorgasbord

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eBusiness and web services Smorgasbord

• Open Forum 2003 on Metadata Registries
• 200pm to 300pm
• January 23, 2003

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Presenter

• David Webber
• co-author of ebXML the new global standard for
  doing business via the internet, New Riders
  Publishing
• Chair of the OASIS CAM TC
• Co-chair of OASIS/CEFACT ebXML JMT
• Pioneering XML eBusiness
• drrwebber_at_acm.org
• http//drrw.net

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Agenda

• Part 1 web services and ebXML
• Transports
• Alignment business process automation
• Alignment common semantic mechanisms
• Deployment Coordination
• Part 2 assembly mechanisms
• Where can you use this?
• Address example
• Review of XML mechanisms

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Part1Web services and ebXML

• Enabling better eBusiness

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Web service brief history

• Trigger point weakness of HTML model for
  e-commerce solutions.
• Emergence of XML and SOAP messaging.
• Bowstreet early market definition and mission.
• Formation of UDDI cartel to facilitate and
  exploit automation of e-commerce.

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Acronym Soup

• XML Standard Language for denoting information
  content and process control
• SOAP - (Simple Object Access Protocol) XML based
  Messaging Protocol
• UDDI - (Universal Description, Discovery and
  Integration) Yellow Pages for Web Services
• WSDL - (Web Services Description Language)

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Summary of eBusiness Needs

• Ability to easily and cost-effectively connect
  business processes and business information
  exchanges together
• Enable a broad interoperable electronic
  marketplace
• Interface to existing applications

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eBusiness Technology Goals

• Solutions and tools that enable customers to
  reduce costs and improve efficiency by better
  exploiting information within their eBusiness
  domains and industries.

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Information Landscape

• XML enabled
• Pervasive across desktop and enterprise solutions
• Ad hoc architecture (desktop components), or
  using formal architecture (eBusiness integration)

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XML itself is not enough.

• XML, by itself, does not solve interoperability
  problems yet it is an important tool for doing
  so.
• XML does not provide instant semantics.
• XML by itself is not the magic bullet.
• What we need are clear policies and vision of how
  electronic information enables interoperability

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Business Layers
Designing for Flexibility
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1
Components Architectural Conceptual
UDDI
ebXML
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CPA

Constraints, Context, Structure
3
Business Layers Logical

• BODs, MIGs, PIPs
• Documentation

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Process BPSS

• transaction
• schema
• instance

Implementation Physical
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Business Layers Objectives

• Reduce complexity of managing large numbers of
  transaction formats - document the differences
• Want to speed adoption by formalizing business
  rules
• Want context-driven transaction generation
• Empowers business users to build interchange
  details
• Need to define in a neutral format works with
  variety of structures, not just XML.
• Augment current standards and industry
  specifications
• Provide multi-step process support UDDI weak
  here

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World view models

• SMALL - Simple consistent integration for
  day-to-day small business applications
  (accounting, taxes, catalogues, inventory)
• BROAD - Simple consistent integration across
  industry verticals (insurance, healthcare,
  transportation, food services)
• LARGE - And complex large system integration

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Sample Use Cases

• eGov how do I apply for this service on-line?
• Business facilitation can anyone in the
  organization provide this answer?
• If Yes how can my software access it?

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ebXML Vision

• A semantic registry is the key foundation block
  upon which global electronic business exchanges
  will be built.

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Why Use a Registry?

• Foster a collaborative environment across
  departments, agencies, industry domains
• Provide human facing access to resources portal
• Provide machine level access to business
  semantics and content

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Registry Layers
High level modelling systems integration Business
Process Definitions Workflow Control Interchange
Profiles
Modelling and Workflow Integration
UML Tools
Business Transaction Generators Dictionary
Content Transformation Services Scripting
Tools and services
XML Content
Domains Content Discovery Topics and
Packages Dynamic Process Component Enabling
HTML forms XML Calls
Web User Interface Program API Support
Industry Dictionary Business Processes
Business Transactions Business Forms
Information Store
Metadata Information Registry/Repository
Communications Layer
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Classifications (Ontology)

• All registry objects are classified
• Objects can be classified under multiple
  classifications
• Classifications can represent different
  industries, or product categorizations
• Classifications are controlled by the registry
  owner and completely editable
• Upload as a full scheme, or create (or edit)
  schemes node by node

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UDDI Registry

• Yellow, White and Green Pages
• Registration of tModels
• Fixed classification model
• Provides discovery for web service POPs and then
  ability to configure to those
• Internal use stronger story than external
  currently

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Move to standards work

• Submissions to W3C of SOAP / WSDL
• Formation of OASIS TCs
• UDDI moved to OASIS (http//www.oasis-open.org)
• Four initiatives on work flow / business process
  - BPMI, BPSS, BPM, BPEL4WS -gt need just one! (aka
  SMIL for media flows) (see - http//www.ebpml.org)
  
• Re-alignment with ebXML? (http//www.ebXML.org)

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Polarization of Web Services

• eAI vendors inward facing focus
• The bulk of the (Web services) work for the next
  18 months will be inside the firewall, and it
  will be integration.
• When questioned about the role of WS in exposing
  legacy data assets, the answer was resoundingly
  simple That is not going to happen, but a more
  traditional approach will be used.

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Outward facing

• e-Commerce Solution vendors
• Use their engines to parametrically drive custom
  web applications.
• Use their engines to manage web applications
  based on profiles .
• Empower business managers to create, customize
  and manage profiles, which drive the generation
  of unique application instances.
• Assign and manage application variations by User
  IDs, J2EE roles, rules, entitlements or any other
  data such as time of day.

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Web Service behaviour?

• A web service is a software component that
  represents a business function (or a business
  service) and can be accessed by another
  application (a client, a server or another Web
  service) over public networks using generally
  available ubiquitous protocols and transports (i.
  e. SOAP over HTTP). -Gartner Group

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ebXML and eBusiness architecture

• Combining best-of-breed components

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Customers focus
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The Emerging Solution XML Integration Services
2002
1990s
1980s
SHIFT
SHIFT
Hub n Spoke, EDI and EAI
Ad Hoc
XML Integration Services
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Building eBusiness Orchestration

• Define business ideas and needs
• Capture steps and workflow
• Then describe the business processing
• Top layer rules and context
• Middle layer industry/application integration
• Implementation layer physical application
  systems and content delivery / exchange

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Technology Progression Matrix
Flat files and sorts Mainframes Modem dial-up connect Tape drives
Tree indexed databases Batch EDI ebXML COBOL programs
RDBMS / SQL Client/Server Internet / HTML forms 4GL report writers
Object Oriented Real-time EDI Web Services Hub-and-Spoke systems
CASE / UML Business Processing ebXML ETL
Metadata Marketplaces Portals and HTML forms EAI
XML Partner discovery UDDI / ebXML XML Integration Services
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Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)

• Communications layer
• ebXML messaging services
• Web services
• Internet
• Business Process workflows and orchestration
• Registry services for metadata and discovery
• Content integration at point of use
• XML payloads with content vocabulary definitions
  as well as schema structural layouts
• Security and Control mechanisms

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Key Capabilities

• Link content to/from existing applications
• Provide ebXML and web service delivery mechanisms
• Common Business Process Orchestration Server
• Industry metadata and templates management
• Enable marketplaces with partner discovery and
  cooperation

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ESB Comparisons
Ad hoc Broker ESB
Minimal re-use Restricted re-use Registry enabled re-use
Problematic context Loss of original context Retains context with content
Hand-coded mappings Double mappings -inbound/outbound Single map at point of use context implicitly known
Highly customized Fixed central vocabulary Pluralistic with open crosswalks and formal extension support
Biggest dog wins smaller dogs have to work hardest Restricts industry interoperability Enables open industry interoperability
Locally developed components Vendor proprietary technology Open standards architecture
Published documentation Adaptors and interface specifications Discovery of trading partners, interfaces and metadata
Plethora of interfaces Rigid information Fluid Information
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Web services and ebXML
With thanks to Alan Kotok from his recent article
http//www.webservices.org/index.php/article/art
icleview/451/1/22/
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ebXML adoption today

• Automotive industry
• Food services industry
• Energy industry
• Vendors delivering ebMS products Fujitsu,
  Sybase, Sterling, GXS, bTrade, Cyclone, TIBCO,
  Excelon, WebMethods, XML Global, and Sun with
  UCC certification

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Industry Trends

• According to the Gartner Group, by 2003, at least
  70 percent of all new applications will be built
  primarily from components
• Components allow developers the ability to
  integrate multiple software modules when creating
  new applications, reducing in-house programming
  effort, leveraging sophisticated services, and
  increasing software quality which can
  significantly reduce the time, cost and effort of
  integrations projects. "

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Part 2 Assembly Mechanisms

• Introduction

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Business Challenges for XML

• Totally static transaction formats do not work
  need configurable structures
• How to apply business context assertions to a
  information structure?
• How to derive a consistent way of specifying the
  interchange parameters to a partner?
• How to enable business domain users to implement
  the exchanges?

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Address Problem Space

• Objective is to provide context to the postal
  delivery addressing preferred standard for Postal
  Address, using levels of business use and quality
  metrics, to ensure adoption of CIQ.
• Address use levels
• Level 0 handwritten postal address machine
  scanned
• Level 1 last line (city, state, zip(postal
  code) or foreign country
• Level 2 in country simple postal address As Is
  concatenated
• Level 3 extended postal address advanced
  features
• Level 4 rendering only (external to USPS or
  business to business use, e.g., shipping /
  delivery address / bill to / marked for / in care
  of )
• Level 5 management (internal domestic and
  international collaboration
• Resolve XML approach for supporting postal
  delivery address requirements.
• Manage domestic internal and global international
  artifacts through common vocabulary or mapping
  conventions

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Technology

• Using W3C Schema to provide for business choice
  and layers of increasingly refining definitions
  based on business use
• Enable use of platform independent business
  semantic AssemblyDoc, modeling, or spreadsheet
  methods
• Provide for technology dependent implementation
  transition
• Provide migration from legacy address formats
• i.e. DOD and most other legacy environments are
  at Address use level 2
• Provide U.S. Government with standards for
  harmonization by the authoritative agency source
  with international consortiums

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Address Use Level Defined(US Postal model
example)

• Level 0 handwritten postal address machine
  parsed
• Level 1 last line - city, state, zip (postal
  code) or foreign country
• Level 2 in country simple postal address
  concatenated delivery address line(s)
• Level 3 extended postal address advanced
  features
• 3A Non-address - business volume (bulk)
• 3B delivery address field s (atomic)
• Level 4 Rendering only - external or business
  to business use, e.g., shipping / delivery/bill
  to/marked for/in care of
• Level 5 management advanced features
• 5A internal management
• 5B international management

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Address Horizontal and Vertical Authoritative
Source Use Matrix
A Government (Domestic) B Vendor C
International Organization D Customer E
Consortiums
Top Authoritative source
D
A
A
D
C A
A, B
B, D, E
B, E
A, B, C, E
A, C, E
Bottom User and Implementers
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United States Post OfficeDelivery Quality
Measurement
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Grouped View of USPS Physical Postal Address
11 Physical Concatenated Lines

• 5 Optional Internal Routing Lines
• - Mailstop Code
• - Attention Line
• - Individual Title
• - Functional Title
• - Group, Department, Division Name
• 3 Business Volume Bulk
• - Optional Endorsement Line
• - Key Line Data
• - POSTNET Address Block Barcode
• 3 Mandatory concatenated lines
• - Name (Person or Organization)
• - Delivery Address
• - Last Line - City, State, Zip (Postal Code)
• or Country

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Multi-Dimensional Postal Address View
USPS Delivery Quality Measurement
OASIS Address Use Levels
USPS Physical View
3
Optional Internal Routing Lines
Business Volume Bulk
Delivery Address
6
Fielded
Composite
2
3
Last Line
1
City
2
5
4
State
Zip (Postal Code)
Country sets
1
Country
4
Interpret Process
0
0
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Building the right pieces

• Need to intelligently use XML get maximum
  benefit, while avoiding potential pitfalls.
• Exploit work that others have done pathfinder
  for OAGIS V8 use of Schema techniques and
  best-practices on XML use
• Align with ebXML architecture to provide syntax
  neutral methods wherever possible

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Leveraging CIQ

• Need to reflect levels 1 thru 5 of use
• CIQ formal detail underpins 5th level.
• Use XML schema techniques to layer granularity
  above that.
• Each granular layer also has country specific
  models.
• Use ebXML AssemblyDoc to capture context
  structure rules and country models.

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XML Information Exchange Quality
(and long-term consistency)
Secure Authenticated Delivery and Tracking
Reliable Messaging system, envelope format and
payload with exchange participant profile controls
Delivery
Assembly
XML
Content Assembly Business logic for content
structure decisions and explicit rules to enforce
content, and interdependencies, with business
exchange context, and content definition
cross-references via UID associations
Schema Content structure definition and simple
content typing
Schema
Registry/ Dictionary
business information
UID content referencing system ensures consistent
definition usage
UID
UID Universal ID content referencing
system values comprise of domain prefix, six
digit integer, optional version, sub-version.
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Syntax Technical Objectives

• Create dual use schema that is capable of support
  OASIS 1 - 5 levels of use and the set of
  quality measures with the business choice for
  increasing detail granularity
• Support and harmonize noun dictionaries across
  multiple legacy implementations and consortium
  standards by allowing substitution underneath
  parents
• Use of ebXML UID technique to equate like
  elements in dictionary

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Concept to Runtime Approach
Business Information Entities - BIE
Registry Components
Core Components, and Industry Dictionaries
Physical
Conceptual
Application Database
Structure Choices
1
Required Content Structure
2
3
Payload Assembly
Process Engine
AssemblyDoc Structure
Content References
Context Values
Payload / Rendering
Logical
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XML techniques summary

• We can use W3C Schema to show basic typing and
  structural permutations for all address content,
  matching the 5 levels of the business model.
• To provide automation of the business logic
  at-point-of-use requires ebXML and AssemblyDocs
  to supplement the Schema.
• This gives us short-term implementation today,
  with long-term extensibility and improvement of
  business value and information quality.

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Which XML Method(s)?

• We need business collaboration on elements
  syntax
• Global complexType definition?
• Global element definition?
• or define both?
• Reuse
• Reference global element in external namespace?
• Define local element as substitutionGroup of
  global element (bring into local namespace)?
• Define local element using external Namespace
  complexType (bring into local namespace)?
• Derive by extension, local element can have
  additional sub-elements added to it?

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Postal Address Conclusions

• Support Address Use Levels 1 - 5
• Support Delivery Quality Metrics
• Make use of Schema in near term
• Define Postal Address using both Global
  complexType and Global Element Definitions
• Harmonize USPS ECCMA approach with CIQ (xAL),
  HR-XML, postal address
• Support Dual Resolution (concatenated and detail)
• Align defined detailed elements (include mapping
  to concatenated)
• Establish UID-identified elements to support
  AssemblyDoc mapping to registry
• Define code lists to support rendering
  requirement
• Establish legacy environment compatibility (EDI
  X12 for DOD)

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Assembly Dissection

• Required Components and Rendering in XML

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Making Assembly Work

• A,B,C,D!
• Assembly Structure
• Business Context Rules
• Content Referencing
• Data Validations

ltCAMgt ltAssemblyStructure/gt ltBusinessUseContex
t/gt ltContentReference/gt
ltDataValidations/gt lt/CAMgt    
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Technology Foundation
excludeAttribute() excludeElement() excludeTree()
makeOptional() makeMandatory() makeRepeatable() se
tChoice() setId() setLength() setLimit() setMask()
setValue() restrictValues() restrictValuesByUID()
useAttribute() useChoice() useElement() useTree()
useAttributeByID() useChoiceByID() useElementByID
() useTreeByID()

• Simple XML V1.1
• XPath
• Neutral approach to structure content
• Assertion predicates

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Simple Example

• Simple Purchase Order
• Straight up XML structure
• Second example structure choices
• Included sub-assemblies

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Additional Information

• OASIS ebXML Registry Technical Committee
• http//oasis-open.org/committees/regrep/
• OASIS CAM (assembly) Technical Committee
• http//oasis-open.org/committees/cam/
• ebXML.org
• http//www.ebxml.org/
• httpebxmlbook.com

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Thank you
Pioneering XML eBusiness
http//www.ebXML.org http//drrw.net