Researchers at the University of Hong Kong's Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure Development (CECID) and Department of Computer Science Information Systems have released a publicly-accessible (beta version) test site which implements the OASIS ebXML Version 2 Registry. The version 2 registry specifications (ebXML Registry Information Model [RIM]; ebXML Registry Services [RS]) were finalized by the OASIS TC in December 2001, and are now in final approval phase. The CECID development was done as part of the University's Project Phoenix, which uses the ebXML Registry as one of four ebXML architectural components; the registry "provides the services for the participating e-commerce community to register, access, and share document schemas, business process specifications, and company data. CECID will operate the registry on a trial basis under the auspices of its Project Phoenix, which is sponsored by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Government, to establish an ebXML software infrastructure in Hong Kong." ebXML v2 Registry implementations were reported earlier by XML Global Technologies, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Sterling Commerce, and KTNET (Korea); IONA and ebXMLsoft have also announced ebXML Registry implementations nearing completion.

From the announcement: "The OASIS ebXML Registry/Repository is a general registry, which can be used not only for business but also for any other organization or entity and for any purpose. The OASIS standard accomplished this generality because it uses a generic and extensible information model that can be adapted to many uses. This information model includes the ability to have arbitrary associations between entries in the registry. Furthermore, the standard includes a repository, which is a way of storing information about entries in the registry. Any type of data can be stored in repository including Web Service descriptions, XML data and documents, binary data (such as images, sound files, video data, executable application files, CAD files etc.), and any other kind of data. Using the registry, this data can be searched and classified using advanced ad hoc query mechanisms such as XML filter query and SQL query. Consequently, the OASIS ebXML Registry /Repository standard enables a powerful and flexible registry that can be deployed as a public registry, a private registry used within an organization, or a registry shared by an organization and its partners..."

CECID Project Phoenix: Project Phoenix is one of several XML activities being undertaken by the Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure Development; the development teams are striving "to enhance Hong Kong competitiveness in the global arena by creating an infrastructure that facilitates e-commerce adoption. In addtion to an ebXML registry, Projecy Phoenix also uses "an ebXML Business Router (BR), ebMail (a simple ebXML mail application), and API Library which enables companies to extend their existing enterprise systems to communicate ebXML protocols... Project Phoenix also involves other lead technology users in the industry as project sponsors and collaborators. MTRC, the major subway system operator in Hong Kong, and Saggio, a large office supplies provider in Asia, have started a pilot project to conduct automatic e-procurement of office supplies. Later, additional parties such as Hong Kong Airport Cargo Terminals Limited will join the pilot. The Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce has also planned to operate the registry in trial mode in CY03." [CECID website]