BEA Systems, Inc. has submitted a proposed Business Transaction Protocol (BTP) specification to the OASIS Business Transactions Technical Committee. Authored by Sanjay Dalal and Pal Takacsi-Nagy, the 'starting point' specification proposal outlines a protocol "which can be used to orchestrate long running, inter-enterprise business transactions. It addresses the unique requirements of business-to-business transactions. BTP is based on the multi-level transaction model that provides the necessary independence for the participating resource managers -- in this case the B2B servers of companies engaging in business transactions." Document abstract: "Long lasting business transactions spanning multiple enterprises pose a unique challenge to B2B systems. The interdependent workflows among multiple trading partners, which drive business transactions, need to be coordinated to ensure that the outcome of the transaction is reliable. In this document we propose a solution to this problem in the form of a Business Transaction Protocol (BTP). B2B servers participating in business transactions over the Internet are expected to implement BTP to orchestrate multi-enterprise transactions."

OASIS Business Transactions TC: "The Business Transactions Technical Committee will develop technology for business transactions on the Internet. Long lasting business transactions spanning multiple enterprises pose a unique challenge to B2B systems. The interdependent workflows among multiple trading partners, which drive business transactions, need to be coordinated to ensure that the outcome of the transaction is reliable. The purpose of this committee is to develop an agreed to set of requirements for a business transaction protocol; evaluate the BEA technology submission and other available technologies made available to the committee and determine their suitability to the requirements identified by the committee; and produce a final specification for a business transaction protocol which works in conjunction with existing business messaging standards, particularly those being developed in the ebXML initiative."

[January 19, 2001] Background:    OASIS Technical Committee for Business Transactions.    BEA systems is presenting its 'Business Transaction Protocol (BTP)' as an initial specification in the work of a new OASIS Technical Committee for Business Transactions. From the recent announcment: "A new OASIS technical committee is being formed. The Business Transactions Technical Committee has been proposed by Rocky Stewart, BEA Systems (chair); Pal Takacsi-Nagy, BEA Systems; Frederick Carter, Sun Microsystems; and Mark Hale, Interwoven. BEA Systems, a member of OASIS, proposes to start a Technical Committee in OASIS to develop technology for business transactions on the Internet. Long lasting business transactions spanning multiple enterprises pose a unique challenge to B2B systems. The interdependent workflows managed among multiple trading partners, which drive business transactions, need to be coordinated to ensure that the outcome of the transaction is reliable. As an initial input, BEA intends to offer a specification for our Business Transaction Protocol (BTP), which provides this functionality and is implemented in our Weblogic Collaborate product. BTP is an eXtensible Markup Language (XML)-based protocol for representing and seamlessly managing complex, multi-step business-to-business (B2B) transactions over the Internet. The protocol allows complex XML message exchanges to be tracked and managed as loosely coupled 'conversations' between and among businesses. BTP goes beyond the problem domain currently being addressed by ebXML and is independent of transport protocols and messaging frameworks. We believe that it can be layered on any underlying transport mechanism including ebXML Messaging, RosettaNet, or XML-PC (SOAP). The purpose of this committee is: (1) To develop an agreed to set of requirements for a business transaction protocol; (2) To evaluate the BEA technology submission and other available technologies made available to the committee and determine their suitability to the requirements identified by the committee; (3) To produce a final specification for a business transaction protocol which works in conjunction with existing business messaging standards, particularly those being developed in the ebXML initiative. BEA will make its detailed submission available by the end of February 2001, before the first meeting, and will make a presentation describing the proposed BTP technology at the first meeting." See also in this connection: (1) description of the OASIS Technical Committee Process, and (2) Jon Bosak's recent article, "A Scalable Process for Information Standards."