Sutor

XMLFrom Math to SOAP: 

XML From Math to SOAP Bob Sutor Director, e-business Standards Strategy sutor@us.ibm.com

At the beginning …: 

At the beginning … Many of the original developers of MathML were concerned with both the document publishing aspect of math representation as well as the “reusable object” aspect. This grew out of experience with computer algebra systems as well as involvement with groups such as Open Math. Many of us felt that we needed an interchange format for math objects so we could get away from the “monolithic system” designs of the 1980s.

Interoperability: 

Interoperability Our focus with techexplorer was that we wanted to be able to talk to multiple computer algebra systems. In this way we shifted from issues around content to those around interoperability, though content was and is still important. This parallels the general path XML adoption has taken, from worrying about documents (as in publishing) to use as a standards interchange format for application to application sharing.

Math does it first: 

Math does it first This is a example of a general phenomenon in that developments in math software and recognition of complex issues often precede the more general observation in general e-business software. For example, much of what was done in AXIOM was more sophisticated than what is done in Java today, though with obviously less commercial success. This observation that math software is a early microcosm of more general software is a great advantage to those of us who have moved from the former to the latter in our careers.

The road to interoperability: 

The road to interoperability Vendors developed proprietary solutions. Customers needed systems to be connected or realized that no one vendor supplied everything they need. Vendors reluctantly decided to work together. Integration became a business. Vendors decided that standards should be part of the business model.

What does this mean for data?: 

What does this mean for data? Data has to be able to flow between different applications using different programming environments on different hardware running different operating systems using different communication protocols. XML can help give you this. A bit of extra work is needed.

Key web technologies: 

Key web technologies The web has been built on technologies such as TCP/IP, http, HTML, Java, most of them open standards. "The worst in our industry - the elements we must leave behind - is the mentality that seeks to own standards, and establish choke holds based on proprietary technology. Let’s remind ourselves that the spark that ignited the Internet revolution was not technology. It was an agreement to industry open standards. We have to make sure the underlying information technologies are free of closed, proprietary standards." - Lou Gerstner, TeleCom '99

IBM’s XML strategy: 

IBM’s XML strategy Deliver XML-based solutions that will help our customers and business partners build, deploy, and manage e-business applications. We are doing this by Ensuring strong, open standards and supporting them through open source Enabling our entire product line for XML Building e-business solutions

XML and standards: 

XML and standards We used to say that XML brings data to the web, adding the necessary component for 90% of e-business applications.

We really need to add more: 

We really need to add more What are we doing with XML for e-business? message envelopes security trading partner agreements web service descriptions business process modeling vertical industry message content workflow cross-industry reusable components

Example: SOAP / XML Protocol: 

Example: SOAP / XML Protocol SOAP 1.1 is an XML-based lightweight protocol for exchange of information in a decentralized, distributed environment. Co-authors were Microsoft, IBM, Lotus, UserLand, and DevelopMentor. The specification spawned the creation of the W3C XML Protocol activity that will have over 30 companies participating. IBM placed the Java-based SOAP4J toolkit with source on the alphaWorks site 2 days after the announcement (April 26). SOAP4J had over 6000 downloads during its first month and was submitted to Apache as open source. SOAP via HTTP, SMTP, MQ, ...

Many ways to shared standards: 

Many ways to shared standards

Friends or foes?: 

Friends or foes? Why would these companies work together when they are competing for the same customers? IBM’s philosophy is that we will cooperate on standards development but we will compete (aggressively) on products. Alliances shift from time to time and vary by standardization effort.

Competition breeds cooperation: 

Competition breeds cooperation Once you have bought into the idea that technologies related to application integration must be standardized, it is hard not to stay honest. New technologies create new standardization efforts but may also change the roadmap for existing ones. We must be pragmatic in balancing speed and implementation experience with the lofty goal of a start-from-scratch effort. Standards groups can no longer afford to be afflicted with the NIH syndrome.

What is the motivation?: 

What is the motivation? Get more companies involved in global e-business. Decrease procurement costs and become more efficient organizations. Manage the growth of B2B early. Increase potential trading partners by being able to find them and then using the same commerce protocols. Move from expensive older e-commerce technologies to newer ones that take advantage of the Internet.

Is XML the salvation?: 

Is XML the salvation? XML specifications are being developed in many industries. Some industries are “re-inventing the wheel” when it comes to B2B XML infrastructure, rather than concentrating on what they understand best. The widespread growth of XML is not chaotic as some analysts might have you believe, but rather is a choreography over time as people are willing to accept changes in their industries.

The need for ebXML: 

The need for ebXML ebXML is the joint OASIS - United Nations/ CEFACT “Electronic Business XML initiative.” A primary objective of ebXML is to lower the barrier of entry to electronic business in order to facilitate trade, particularly with respect to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and developing nations.

ebXML: 

ebXML A key aspect for the success of the ebXML initiative is adherence to the use of the W3C suite of XML and related Web technical specifications to the maximum extent practical. Technologies will also be borrowed from other consortiums, as appropriate. New specifications will be submitted to an appropriate internationally recognized standards body for accreditation as an international standard.

Toward a web of services: 

Toward a web of services We are moving from a web full of documents to a web that also contains business services. Application on a client or server SOAP-aware credit card validation – Java? SOAP-aware catalog lookup – DCOM? SOAP-aware shipping provider – CORBA?

Services: 

Traditional services can be found in the phone book white pages and yellow pages. Online services can be Suppliers for B2B or B2C Weather reports Statistical analysis Symbolic computation Document conversion companies Credit checks Lookups of traditional services … How do you find these services? Services

Finding services: 

Finding services In many ways, using the web for business today is like using the web for documents before there were search engines. If you know who your service providers are, you can link to them or do business with them. It would be good if there was a standard way of registering your own service information and finding that of others.

What is UDDI?: 

What is UDDI? Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration A project to speed interoperability and adoption for web services XML standards-based specifications for service description and discovery Shared operation of a business registry on the web Partnership among more than 80 industry and business leaders started by IBM, Ariba, and Microsoft.

The UDDI Registries: 

The UDDI Registries IBM Ariba Microsoft other other Peer nodes (websites) Companies register with any node Registrations replicated on a daily basis Complete set of “registered” records available at all nodes Common set of SOAP APIs supported by all nodes Compliance enforced by business contract UDDI.org queries

UDDI and standards: 

UDDI and standards The specifications developed during the UDDI project will be turned over to one or more standards organizations after version 3 is finished (approximately 15 to 18 months). While IBM, Microsoft, and Ariba have developed version 1, the second two versions will be developed with the aid and review of the other UDDI partners. We feel that the focus on implementation is paramount: we are building global databases of business information that must be scalable and robust.

UDDI opportunities: 

UDDI opportunities Remember that the global availability of the information in the registry is the most important aspect of this project. There is no charge to register or retrieve this information from the IBM, Microsoft, and Ariba registries. If you were starting a business and had access to hundreds of thousands of business service descriptions, what would you do with it? What parallels can you imagine here when you think about the range of mathematical services that might be available this way?

Summary: 

Summary Work is proceeding rapidly to use XML as the standard data form on the web for business. We think UDDI will be the standard way for registering and finding services providers on the web. Look to ebXML and the W3C to provide other parts of the XML infrastructure needed for global e-business. Expect a new round of XML standardization to take place in vertical industries around web services. How should math software be structured in order to work with this new infrastructure? www.ibm.com/xml