white paper update

[Jacques Durand <JDurand@us.fujitsu.com>]

Title: white paper update

Here is an update on the white paper outline (V0.2)
mostly, refinements for:
- Messaging
- Bus collaborations
- Testing

We'd like to have people volunteering to detail other sections as well.
Let us talk about this tomorrow.

Regards,

Jacques

ebXML White Paper Synopsis (V 0.2)
==========================

NOTES:
- the audience is "technical executive", say CTO and IT management, since they are decision makers on
adopting ebXML. Yet the style should resonate with vertical users with a B2B experience (e.g. EDI).
- also, for those already familiar with ebXML, the paper should give a feel of the future version.
- Each section would average 3-5 pages (overall paper between 30-50 pages, including figures).
Sections don't have to give an exhaustive view of the material referred to, nor a balanced summary,
but should convey the rationale behind it, and may focus on a few remarkable features.
Each section could include a short FAQ at the end.
- The outline below is rather classic, in breaking down by component. It could be different: describe
first the ISO version, then separately the future version (But the latter is too unstable today to deserve
a full section.) Or, could downplay the components and focus more on the integrated view, how everything
works together, giving away features details while unwinding scenarios & use cases. I though it would
be sufficient to have Section 1 do a bit of this binding-it-all-together job.
- we could involve marketing team to do Section #9.

1. ebXML: the Requirements, the Approach

- short definition: an ISO standard for Exchanging business messages, Conducting trading relationships,
Defining and registering business processes, Communicating data in common terms, Assembling business transactions.
- the business case (EDI-compatible in both content and architecture, accessible to SMEs, non-managed env.,
covering all partners of a supply chain, XML-based)
- (can reuse the EDI / ebXML stack comparison from Jon Bosak)
- an integrated approach of B2B focusing on interoperability needs, yet loose coupling with back-end systems.
- transitioning to ebXML (migration path)
- anatomy of an ebXML deployment (showing architecture, the interaction steps in usage scenarios)

2. Messaging

2.1 - Overview of current version
- requirements & driving principles, (SOAP on pervasive Internet transports, reliability and security,
smooth EDI transition, etc.)
- summary of salient features,
- some use cases, relationship with other ebXML specifications.

2.2 - the roadmap: what is next, the new requirements:
. leveraging Web services protocols for security, reliability.
. support for low-level payload processing (payload services)
. support for various message exchange patterns that map to business transactions.
. support for connectivity constraints (occasional connectivity, firewall restrictions, light ebMS clients)
 

3. Business Transactions and Collaborations

    * What it is and how does it relate to ebXML BPSS: Standard language
      for business collaboration
          o Supporting process design and description
          o Enabling collaboration monitoring and validation
          o Guiding execution
    * Design principles based on business semantics: [1]
          o Standard business transaction patterns
          o State alignment
          o Binary and multi-party collaboration
          o Composition: Visibility and relationships
          o Enabling web services (abstract)
          o Party and role definitions
          o Enabling the process lifecycle
    * Exemplar use cases
          o Telecommunications (M. Roberts)
          o Financial services (M. Arrott)
                + Automotive (Moberg)
          o Retail (Yunker)
          o Others...TBD
    * Relationship to ebMS and CPPA
          o Opportunities
          o Challenges
          o Conformance testing in the future (link to IIC work)
    * Roadmap
          o Release of v2.0 draft (hopefully by the time we get this
            report done)
          o Plans/requirements for v3.0
          o White papers and technical notes (hopefully)

[1] Enabled by v2.0.

4. Collaboration Protocol Agreements

- Overview of current version
(requirements & design principles, summary of salient features, use case, relationship with other ebXML parts)
- the roadmap: what is next, the new requirements.

5. The Registry-Repository

- Overview of current version
(requirements & design principles, summary of salient features, use case, relationship with other ebXML parts)
- the roadmap: what is next, the new requirements.

6. Standardizing COntent

- Core components (requirements & design principles, summary of salient features)
- UBL

7. Testing ebXML

7.1 - Interoperablity testing and Badging.
. status in US, with UCC/DGI (for ebMS)
. status in Asia, (ECOM / ebXML Asia)
. status in Europe (CEN/ISSS, ETSI).

7.2 - testing environment for ebXML.
- Challenges of testing B2B interoperability.
- The IIC approach (conformance + interoperability, standard scripting of test suites, automation,...)
- Test Framework of IIC: an overview, current implementations.

8. Deploying ebXML in a SOA environment
- where ebXML fits in (example arch from GM)
- pilot projects (AIAG...)

9. Who deploys ebXML
- survey
- what do people do with ebXML, value they see.