Update 2005-02-04: "CFP: OASIS Service Oriented Architecture Reference Model (SOA-RM) TC." This TC is a spin-off and partial successor to the ebSOA TC. See details in the 2005-02-08 news story: "OASIS Creates TC to Define Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Reference Model."

[February 20, 2004] A new ebSOA (Electronic Business Service Oriented Architecture) technical committee has been created by OASIS members to continue work on the ebXML Technical Architecture. The goal is to advance the version 1.04 model to "a more current architecture that takes into account both subsequent releases of the ebXML specifications and other Web Services and service-oriented architecture works, including the work of the W3C Web Services Architecture WG.

The ebSOA TC will assess the implementability and interoperability of the multiple ebXML and Web Services specifications, providing relevant comments and suggestions to OASIS TCs and other panels managing the individual specifications. The proposed schedule calls for release of an eBusiness Service Oriented Architecture Technical Specification within eighteen months, preceded by incremental working drafts. A Service Oriented Architecture Best Practices Document covering both ebXML and Web Services will also be published. Duane Nickull (Adobe) is the Proposed TC Chair. The first meeting of the OASIS ebSOA TC will be held April 29, 2004 in New Orleans, LA, USA.

Basis for Technical Work

Technical specifications cited by the TC members as existing work that may be contributed to this TC:

• ebXML Technical Architecture Specification v1.0.4. From the ebXML Technical Architecture Project Team. Team Lead: Anders Grangard (EDI France). Editors: Brian Eisenberg (DataChannel) and Duane Nickull (XML Global Technologies). 16-February-2001. Version reference: 'ebXML_TA_v1.0.4.doc'. 39 pages.

  "This document describes the underlying architecture for ebXML. It provides a high level overview of ebXML and describes the relationships, interactions, and basic functionality of ebXML. It should be used as a roadmap to learn: (1) what ebXML is, (2) what problems ebXML solves, and (3) core ebXML functionality and architecture...Other documents provide detailed definitions of the components of ebXML and of their inter-relationship. They include ebXML specifications on the following topics: (1) Requirements; (2) Business Process and Information Meta Model; (3) Core Components; (4) Registry and Repository; (5) Trading Partner Information; (6) Messaging Services... The ebXML specifications provide a framework in which EDI's substantial investments in Business Processes can be preserved in an architecture that exploits XML's new technical capabilities... This document is intended primarily for the ebXML project teams to help guide their work. Secondary aud iences include, but are not limited to: software implementers, international standards bodies, and other industry organizations..."

• ebXML Requirements Specification Version 1.06. From the ebXML Requirements Team. May 8, 2001. 43 pages.

  This ebXML Requirements Specification represents the work of the ebXML Requirements Project Team. It defines ebXML and the ebXML effort, articulates business requirements for ebXML, and defines specific requirements that shall be addressed by the various ebXML project teams in preparing their deliverables.

  Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML) is an international initiative established by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) with a mandate to undertake a 15-18 month program of work. As identified in the ebXML Terms of Reference, the purpose of the ebXML initiative is to research and identify the technical basis upon which the global implementation of XML can be standardized. The goal is to provide an XML-based open technical framework to enable XML to be utilized in a consistent and uniform manner for the exchange of electronic business (eb) data in application to application, application to human, and human to application environments — thus creating a single global electronic market.

  ebXML is based on international standards and is itself intended to become an international standard. 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. Although these specifications may not provide the optimal technical solution, acceptance of ebXML by the business community and technical community is tied to XML. However, certain key elements of the ebXML technical framework may require adopting alternative technologies and technical specifications — such as those of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), UN/CEFACT, OASIS, and the Object Management Group.

From the Announcement

Scope

The scope of the work of the TC. The TC will:

• Assess the subsequent and related works noted herein and the implementation experience of the existing ebXML and Web Services specifications.

• Update the descriptive and normative statements of existing ebXML and Web Services specifications in an updated Technical Architecture document(s) to reflect the subsequent approved versions, and the other developments and implementation experiences described here.

• Assess the implementability and interoperability of the multiple ebXML and Web Services specifications, provide comments and suggestions to the TCs managing the individual specifications, and identify gaps or future work (if any) needed or desirable for useful complete implementations.

• Assess the implementability and interoperability of other relevant approved e-business and web services standards with one or more existing ebXML specifications, provide comments and suggestions (if any) to the TCs and other panels managing the relevant individual specifications, and (if the TC requests) provide non-normative examples or suggestions for useful combinations and extensions of the various specifications.

• Adhere to the requirements of the ebXML Requirements Specification (v1.06) and/or later revisions.

• Provide an opportunity for each TC that manages an individual ebXML and/or Web Service(s) specifications to comment on and correct any descriptions or characterizations of those specifications before they are incorporated into any work approved by this TC.

The TC will not publish normative public guidance about an existing ebXML specification that contradicts the approved text. Suggestions for change or extension should be welcome and recorded, but expressed in a manner that does not undermine the approved specifications as the primary source of ebXML technical guidance.

In no event shall this Technical Committee finalize or approve any technical specification if it believes that the use, distribution, or implementation of such specification would necessarily require the unauthorized infringement of any third party rights known to the Technical Committee, and such third party has not agreed to provide necessary license rights on perpetual, royalty-free, non-discriminatory terms.

Proposers

The names, electronic mail addresses, and membership affiliations of at least three Eligible Persons who support this proposal and are committed to the charter and projected meeting schedule.

• Duane Nickull, dnickull@adobe.com, Adobe Systems
• Matt Mackenzie, mattm@adobe.com, Adobe Systems
• Joseph Chuisano, chiusano_joseph@bah.com, Booz Allen Hamilton
• David Burdett, david.burdett@commerceone.com, Commerce One
• Dale Moberg, dmoberg@cyclonecommerce.com, Cyclone Commerce
• Steve Ross-Talbot, steve@enigmatec.net, Enigmatic Corporation
• Ron Schuldt, ron.l.schuldt@lmco.com, Lockheed Martin
• Tim Mathews, tmathews@lmi.org, LMI
• Ravi Panja, rpanja@insyncinfo.com, Individual Member
• Paul Spencer, paul.spencer@boynings.co.uk, Individual Member