Members Approve ebXML Messaging Services 3.0 as OASIS Standard

["Carol Geyer" <carol.geyer@oasis-open.org>]

Members Approve ebXML Messaging Services 3.0 as OASIS Standard 

Axway Software, Fujitsu, NEC, Sun Microsystems, U.S. Centers for Disease
Control, and Others Collaborate on New Version of Global Standard for
Exchanging Business Messages over the Internet

Boston, MA, USA; 16 October 2007 - OASIS, the international open standards
consortium, today announced that its members have approved ebXML Messaging
Services (ebMS) version 3.0: Part 1, Core Features as an OASIS Standard, a
status that signifies the highest level of ratification. ebMS 3.0 defines a Web
services-based method for the reliable, secure exchange of business
information. It is the latest addition to the ebXML family of specifications
that was launched as a global initiative by OASIS and the United Nations Centre
for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and has been adopted
worldwide. 

"This specification is the first major revision of ebMS since version 2.0 was
approved as an OASIS Standard in April 2002  - and subsequently as an ISO
Standard in March 2004," said Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS. "It
ensures ebXML's continuing relevancy and achieves compatibility with Web
services specifications developed after ebMS 2.0, including SOAP 1.2 , as well
as the WS-Security, WS-Reliability, and WS-ReliableMessaging OASIS Standards."

"It has become critical for all partners - in particular small and medium size
enterprises- of a supply chain to be able to handle differences in message flow
capacity, intermittent connectivity, lack of static IP addresses, and firewall
restrictions. ebMS 3.0 was designed to address all these requirements,"
explained Ian Jones of British Telecommunications plc, chair of the OASIS ebMS
Technical Committee. "We've succeeded in extending the existing enveloping
technique that permits messages to contain payloads of any format type - not
just XML, to a more flexible Web service framework. This versatility ensures
legacy electronic business systems that use traditional syntaxes, such as EDI,
ASC X12, or HL7, can leverage the advantages of the ebMS infrastructure along
with systems based on emerging technologies."

ebMS is designed to be used either with or without any of the other ebXML
standards, including ebXML Business Process Specification Schema (BPSS) 2.0.4
and a forthcoming version of ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement
(CPP/A). By design, ebMS 3.0 also fully supports composition with other
SOAP-based Web services specifications.
ebMS was developed under the Royalty-Free on Limited Terms Mode of the OASIS
Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Axway, Fujitsu Computer Systems, and NEC
all verified successful use of ebMS 3.0, in accordance with eligibility
requirements for all OASIS Standards.
 
The OASIS ebMS Technical Committee continues work on Part 2 of ebMS 3.0 that
will provide functional extensions to the ebMS 3.0 Core. Participation in the
Technical Committee remains open to all companies, non-profit groups,
governments, academic institutions, and individuals. Archives of the work are
accessible to both members and non-members, and OASIS offers a mechanism for
public comment. OASIS hosts an XML.org Focus Area for ebXML,
http://ebxml.xml.org, which serves as the official community gathering place
and information resource for the standards.


Support for ebMS

Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)
"AIAG supports ebMS 3.0 because it enables trading partners to pull for
incoming messages, which is very beneficial for smaller companies that do not
have static Internet IP addresses or do not want to keep their systems turned
on all the time. The automotive industry has invested in ebXML and in Web
services capabilities; ebMS 3.0 should facilitate interoperable data exchange
using both transport mechanisms," said Pat Snack, General Motors Executive
Loan, AIAG.

Axway
"Many global communities use ebXML to reliably transport electronic business
messages over the Internet. The ebXML version 3.0 standards process has mainly
focused on improving the messaging standard by adding new features found in
recent WS-* standards and allowing smaller customers to engage in ebXML
business-quality messaging without needing a 24-by-7 Web server. We feel these
enhancements will increase its adoption and are pleased to have participated in
the endeavor," said Dave Bennett, CTO at Axway. 

Fujitsu
"This new version of ebMS will address a broader array of users including SMEs
with limited connectivity and little IT management resources. The adoption of
Web services standards for security and reliability will facilitate
implementations over existing platforms. We believe ebMS 3.0 will become an
effective and versatile B2B complement to enterprise systems and SOA
deployments," said Yasushi Ishida, Executive Architect of Software Unit,
Fujitsu Limited.

Health Level Seven (HL7)
"We have completed committee level balloting on a new release of the HL7 ebXML
Transport Specification (normative track) which is based on ebMS 3.0 and expect
to proceed to membership ballot in Jan 2008.  ebMS 3.0 provides an excellent
platform for all forms of health information content exchange including
documents, SOA and messages with the diversity of stakeholders in the health
care community," said Paul Knapp of Continovation Services, HL7 Implementable
Technology Specifications SIG Co-Chair.

Additional information:

OASIS ebMS Technical Committee
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ebxml-msg

ebXML XML.org
http://ebxml.xml.org



About OASIS:
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drives the development, convergence, and adoption of open standards for the
global information society. A not-for-profit consortium, OASIS advances
standards for SOA, security, Web services, documents, e-commerce, government
and law, localisation, supply chains, XML processing, and other areas of need
identified by its members. OASIS open standards offer the potential to lower
cost, stimulate innovation, grow global markets, and protect the right of free
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Press contact:
Carol Geyer
OASIS Director of Communications
carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
+1.978.667.5115 x209 (office)
+1.941.284.0403 (mobile)