A communiqué from Farrukh Najmi (Sun Microsystems) describes a new production-ready release of ebXML Registry software from the OASIS ebXML Registry Reference Implementation Project (ebxmlrr). As part of the freebXML Initiative, the ebxmlrr project is chartered to deliver a "royalty free, open source, functionally complete reference implementation for the OASIS ebXML Registry specifications as defined by the OASIS ebXML Registry Technical Committee." The 'ebxmlrr 2.1-final1' release also implements most optional features of the version 2.1 ebXML Registry specifications as well as several new features of the latest interim specifications for ebXML Registry version 3. This ebXML Registry implementation provides several new features, including: "(1) Web Content Management capability; (2) Role base access control using XACML access control policies; (3) Locale sensitive Registry Browser; (4) XML based fully configurable Registry Browser; (5) Usability improvements in the Registry Browser; (6) Support for read-only mode when the user is unauthenticated; (7) Web browser integration. The client package of the ebxmlrr project includes a JAXR provider, enabling standard Java API access to the ebXML registry services." The freebXML initiative "aims to foster the development and adoption of ebXML and related technology through software and experience sharing. It has created a centralized web site for the sharing of 'free' ebXML code and applications as well as development and deployment experience, and promotes ebXML as an e-commerce enabling technology. The initiative is sponsored by the Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure Development and the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems at the University of Hong Kong."

From the Project ebxmlrr Announcement

"An XML registry/repository is a critical piece of infrastructure for organizations to increase the efficiency of their business. The XML registry/repository is a versatile tool which helps to given employees, customers, and partners (internally and externally) scaleable, searchable, customizable, and secure role based access to critical information using standard protocols. The repository can store XML, web services, or any other type of data, and the registry manages the entire life cycle of information in the repository using sophisticated meta-data technology."

This update of the ebxmlrr project, which is hosted at SourceForge and available under open source and royalty free licensing terms, implements all functionality required by version 2.1 of ebXML Registry specifications, as defined by the OASIS ebXML Registry Technical Committee. It also implements most optional features of version 2.1 as well as several new features of the latest interim specifications for ebXML Registry version 3.

Benefits of an XML Registry

"The benefits of an XML Registry include:

• Promotes efficient discovery and maintenance of registered objects
• Enables efficient version control for registered objects
• Promotes unified understanding of registered objects; because metadata for registered objects is accessible from a single location, a unified understanding of the purpose of the registered objects will be promoted
• Ensures availability and reuse of authoritative XML; a controlled registration and validation of XML artifacts from authoritative sources promotes interoperability between trading partners, and facilitates greater reuse
• Enables collaborative development: users can create XML artifacts and submit them to an XML registry for use and potential enhancement by authorized parties; the enhanced versions can then be made available for access by other authorized parties [from the TC FAQ document]