Royalty-Free Software for OASIS WS-Reliability Standard

Leading IT Vendors Release Royalty-Free Software for Reliable Messaging

November 27, 2004.

Fujitsu Limited, Hitachi, Ltd., and NEC Corporation today announced that they are making available as open source their jointly developed messaging software that implements the Web Services Reliability (WS-Reliability) standard, a messaging specification for web services designed to ensure superior reliability. The software will be available for download free of charge as of November 26 at the website of the Information-Technology Promotion Agency, Japan. See http://businessgrid.ipa.go.jp/rm4gs/index-en.html.

Until now, in order to construct a highly reliable system that employs web services, it was necessary for each application on the web services network to guarantee the reliability of the transmissions. This software solves that problem by providing a reliable messaging function that prevents the loss of messages and the duplication of messages in transit. By making messaging highly reliable, the software eliminates the need for each individual application to guarantee transmission reliability.

Last year, a group of IT vendors including Fujitsu, Hitachi and NEC, issued a draft of the WS-Reliability specification, and have worked with OASIS, the standards organization, to have it designated as an industry standard. The specification passed a public review and the final voting stage held by OASIS members, with OASIS formally adopting it as an official standard on November 15. The three companies began their participation in the standardization work with the objective of promoting standardization in the web services domain. To further the adoption of the WS-Reliability standard, the three companies disclosed the software's source code, releasing it as open source.

Releasing this software as open source will help speed the widespread adoption of software products that incorporate this reliable messaging function, thereby making it possible for customers to develop highly reliable web services systems in shorter time frames and at lower cost.

Since July of 2003, the three firms have jointly pursued the development of middleware software for the realization of grid computing as part of the Business Grid Computing Project promoted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The software was developed as part of this project.

More Information

The Information Technology Promotion Agency's RM4GS (Reliable Messaging for Grid Services) page: http://businessgrid.ipa.go.jp/rm4gs/index-en.html.

Glossary

1. OASIS

Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards; a non-profit organization that encourages the use of existing standards, such as SGML and XML, in business, and is involved in the setting of recognized standards to make technologies more useful. It is responsible for ebXML and Web services specifications, SAML and other security-oriented specifications.

2. Business Grid Computing Project

This project seeks to bring the benefits of grid computing to the business sector, allowing a company's network-attached infrastructure to integrate with other computers beyond the organization's walls. Japan's METI launched this project in 2003 to develop the enabling technology.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting technologies, highly reliable computing and communications platforms, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers' success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$45 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/.

About Hitachi

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 326,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2003 (ended March 31, 2004) consolidated sales totaled 8,632.4 billion yen ($81.4 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.hitachi.com.

About NEC

NEC Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of 4,906 billion yen (approx. $47 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.

Additional References

See details in the news story: "RM4GS Open Source Middleware Supports Reliable Messaging for Grid Services."
"WS-Reliability Version 1.1 Approved as an OASIS Standard." News story 2004-11-15.
"Fujitsu, Hitachi and NEC Offer Sample Reliable Messaging Software for Web Services." Tokyo, Japan. March 09, 2004.
WS-Reliability Sample Software. From the news story 2004-03-11.
"Reliable Messaging"

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.

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The software will be available for download free of charge as of November 26 at the website of the Information-Technology Promotion Agency, Japan. See http://businessgrid.ipa.go.jp/rm4gs/index-en.html. Until now, in order to construct a highly reliable system that employs web services, it was necessary for each application on the web services network to guarantee the reliability of the transmissions. This software solves that problem by providing a reliable messaging function that prevents the loss of messages and the duplication of messages in transit. By making messaging highly reliable, the software eliminates the need for each individual application to guarantee transmission reliability. Last year, a group of IT vendors including Fujitsu, Hitachi and NEC, issued a draft of the WS-Reliability specification, and have worked with OASIS, the standards organization, to have it designated as an industry standard. The specification passed a public review and the final voting stage held by OASIS members, with OASIS formally adopting it as an official standard on November 15. The three companies began their participation in the standardization work with the objective of promoting standardization in the web services domain. To further the adoption of the WS-Reliability standard, the three companies disclosed the software's source code, releasing it as open source. Releasing this software as open source will help speed the widespread adoption of software products that incorporate this reliable messaging function, thereby making it possible for customers to develop highly reliable web services systems in shorter time frames and at lower cost. Since July of 2003, the three firms have jointly pursued the development of middleware software for the realization of grid computing as part of the Business Grid Computing Project promoted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The software was developed as part of this project. More Information The Information Technology Promotion Agency's RM4GS (Reliable Messaging for Grid Services) page: http://businessgrid.ipa.go.jp/rm4gs/index-en.html. Glossary 1. OASIS Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards; a non-profit organization that encourages the use of existing standards, such as SGML and XML, in business, and is involved in the setting of recognized standards to make technologies more useful. It is responsible for ebXML and Web services specifications, SAML and other security-oriented specifications. 2. Business Grid Computing Project This project seeks to bring the benefits of grid computing to the business sector, allowing a company's network-attached infrastructure to integrate with other computers beyond the organization's walls. Japan's METI launched this project in 2003 to develop the enabling technology. About Fujitsu Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting technologies, highly reliable computing and communications platforms, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers' success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$45 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/. About Hitachi Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 326,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2003 (ended March 31, 2004) consolidated sales totaled 8,632.4 billion yen ($81.4 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.hitachi.com. About NEC NEC Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of 4,906 billion yen (approx. $47 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com. Additional References See details in the news story: "RM4GS Open Source Middleware Supports Reliable Messaging for Grid Services." "WS-Reliability Version 1.1 Approved as an OASIS Standard." News story 2004-11-15. "Fujitsu, Hitachi and NEC Offer Sample Reliable Messaging Software for Web Services." Tokyo, Japan. March 09, 2004. WS-Reliability Sample Software. From the news story 2004-03-11. "Reliable Messaging" Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.