JSSL Web Service Reference Architecture (WSRA)

The Web Service Reference Architecture (WSRA) being developed by the Singapore Java Smart Services Lab (JSSL) is "a framework of infrastructural guidelines and a reference implementation based on open standards and related Java technology to facilitate the creation and assembly of web/smart services. It defines an architectural stack that incorporates best-of-breed technologies and solutions from the various JSSL partners, and it provides the generalised, common functions that are used to build web services. The WSRA provides a foundation that can be instantiated to create a hardware and software architecture for building specific web services... The WSRA comprises guides and thirteen (13) core services together with the architectural, overview, interface and the relevant installation documents. Core Services Interface Specifications include: Group Management; Log Utility; Notification; Phase and Lifecycle Management; Role and Access Management; Search; Secure SOAP Management; Sensory; Service Management; Service Registry; Service Tester; Transformer; User Management... The key documents are available for download. JSSL is part of Java Tarik 4 programme, formed through sponsorship of SIMTech (Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), and Sun, together with eight technology partners: BEA Systems (Singapore) Pte Ltd, BlueBoot Inc, Borland (Singapore) Pte Ltd, eG Innovations Pte Ltd, Netrust Pte Ltd, Oracle Corporation Singapore Pte Ltd, Rational Software, IBM Software Group, Software AG (Singapore) Pte Ltd. Its mission is to accelerate Web Services adoption by the Singapore industries. Key development foci include competency, technology, industry and community..."

• JSSL web site
• "Web Service Reference Architecture (WSRA). A Framework for Web Services Development." Release 1.0. Public: SWS-PRO-R01-TEC-002. Java Smart Services Laboratory (JSSL). March 2003. 17 pages.
• "WSRA: How It Helps To Jumpstart Web Services." 11 pages.
• "A Reference Architecture to Accelerate Your Web Service Development." Presented March 4, 2003 at NTU CoE Technology Week. 28 pages.
• JSSL Overview
• JSSL FAQ document
• JSSL Contacts: Dr Lee Eng Wah (Manager), Lee Han Boon (Industry Development Manager), Tan Puay Siew (Technical Manager).

OASIS Framework for Web Services Implementation (FWSI) TC

[September 29, 2003]   OASIS Announces Framework for Web Services Implementation (FWSI) TC.    OASIS members have formed a new Framework for Web Services Implementation (FWSI) Technical Committee to produce guidelines that assist system integrators and software vendors in implementing Web Services solutions. The purpose of OASIS FWSI TC is to "facilitate implementation of robust Web Services by defining a practical and extensible methodology consisting of implementation processes and common functional elements that practitioners can adopt to create high quality Web Services systems without re-inventing them for each implementation. It attempts to solve the problem of the slow adoption of Web Services due to lack of methodologies to implement Web Services, and lack of understanding of whether solutions proposed by vendors have the necessary components to reliably implement an application based on Web Services. The TC goals are to: accelerate implementation of Web Services-based systems; improve the performance and robustness of such systems; improve understanding of Web Services implementations; reduce the complexity of such systems and hence reduce the developmental and maintenance efforts; and reduce the risk of implementation. Key deliverables of the TC include a Web Services Implementation Process Specification and a Web Services Functional Elements Specification. Members of the new OASIS FWSI Technical Committee include CommerceNet, IDA, Information Technology Standards Committee of Singapore, RosettaNet, SIMTech, Sun Microsystems, Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure Development (CECID) at the University of Hong Kong, Yellow Dragon, and other OASIS members. The proposed TC Chairs are Dr. LEE Eng Wah, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology and Mr. Roberto B. PASCUAL, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. The first meeting of the OASIS FWSI TC will be held December 8-92003 at the XML 2003 Conference in Philadelphia.

References:

• News story 2003-09-29: "OASIS Announces Framework for Web Services Implementation (FWSI) TC."
• Announcement: "OASIS Members Collaborate on Global Framework to Enhance Web Services Deployment."
• Call for Participation: OASIS FWSI TC
• OASIS Framework for Web Services Implementation TC website
• TC FAQ document

OASIS Web Services TCs

Several OASIS Technical Committees focus on the development of Web Services specifications, for a variety of application areas. Conformance to a single architectural model is not required. Examples:

• UDDI Member Section
• Web Services Business Process Execution Language TC (WS BPEL TC)
• Web Services Composite Application Framework TC (WS-CAF TC)
• Web Services Security TC (WSS TC)
• Web Services for Remote Portlets TC (WSRP TC)
• Web Services Interactive Applications TC (WSIA TC)
• Web Services Reliable Messaging TC (WSRM TC)
• Web Services Distributed Management TC (WSDM TC)
• Translation Web Services TC (TWS TC)
• Framework for Web Services Implementation (FWSI TC)

Semantic Web Services Initiative (SWSI)

"The Semantic Web Services Initiative (SWSI) is an ad hoc initiative of academic and industrial researchers, many of which are involved in DARPA and EU funded research projects. The SWSI mission is threefold: (1) to create infrastructure that combines Semantic Web and Web Services technologies to enable maximal automation and dynamism in all aspects of Web service provision and use, including (but not limited to) discovery, selection, composition, negotiation, invocation, monitoring and recovery; (2) to coordinate ongoing research initiatives in the Semantic Web Services area; (3) to promote the results of SWSI work to academia and industry. In order to achieve the above overall mission, a number of theoretical, methodological and empirical issues must be addressed. These include: [a] creation of language and ontological infrastructure to support incorporation of machine understandable semantics into Web services, and [b] development of appropriate Web Services architecture and applications... The SWSI mission will be accomplished through: work in the various SWSI committees, discussions, publications, implementations, and coordination with standards bodies. SWSI deliverables may include proposals to standards bodies and feedback on industry white papers." [excerpted from the home page]

References:

• SWSI web site
• Consortium structure
• SWSI online resources

W3C Web Services Architecture Activity and Working Group

"W3C works on the infrastructure of Web services, defining the architecture as well as the core technologies for Web services. [As of 2003-09], the W3C Web Services Activity was composed of one Coordination Group and four Working Groups: (1) Web Services Architecture Working Group; (1) XML Protocol Working Group; (3) Web Services Description Working Group; (4) Web Services Choreography Working Group. Foundational specifications include Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Web Services Description Language (WSDL).

References:

• W3C Architecture Domain
• W3C Web Services Activity
• W3C Web Services Activity Statement
• W3C Web Services Architecture Working Group
• Web Services Architecture. W3C Working Draft 8-August-2003
• Web Services Internationalization Usage Scenarios. W3C Working Draft 16-May-2003.

Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I)

"WS-I is an open, industry organization chartered to promote Web services interoperability across platforms, operating systems, and programming languages. The organization works across the industry and standards organizations to respond to customer needs by providing guidance, best practices, and resources for developing Web services solutions. WS-I was formed specifically for the creation, promotion, or support of Generic Protocols for Interoperable exchange of messages between services. Generic Protocols are protocols that are independent of any specific action indicated by the message beyond actions necessary for the secure, reliable, or efficient delivery of messages..." [from the home page]

References:

• WS-I website
• WS-I News
• WS-I documentation
• WS-I implementation tools
• "WS-I Releases Basic Profile 1.0a Final Specification for Interoperable Web Services." 2003-08-18 publication milestone.
• "Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I)" - Local references.