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Subject: RE: [soa-rm] Definition(s) of "service"
The intent of the "prescribed interface" phrase is to capture in two words the notion of the behavioral and data model aspects and the policy and the metadata. Ron -----Original Message----- From: Chiusano Joseph [mailto:chiusano_joseph@bah.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 3:36 PM To: soa-rm@lists.oasis-open.org Subject: RE: [soa-rm] Definition(s) of "service" > -----Original Message----- > From: Schuldt, Ron L [mailto:ron.l.schuldt@lmco.com] > Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 5:34 PM > To: Duane Nickull; Francis McCabe > Cc: soa-rm@lists.oasis-open.org > Subject: RE: [soa-rm] Definition(s) of "service" > > I briefly suggested something similar to this during the F2F > > I'll toss out a slight modification based on this thread to > the TC for their reaction. > > "A service is a prescribed interface to a set of behaviors" I like that much better. Joe Joseph Chiusano Booz Allen Hamilton O: 703-902-6923 C: 202-251-0731 Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com > Ron > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Duane Nickull [mailto:dnickull@adobe.com] > Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 3:24 PM > To: Francis McCabe > Cc: soa-rm@lists.oasis-open.org > Subject: Re: [soa-rm] Definition(s) of "service" > > > Frank: > > I wasn't happy with "observable" either. Perhaps firing up the ole' > thesaurus to find out an "observable / effective / RWE" > synonym would be a good idea or just being vague and not > using the word. > > The wording of this is becoming somewhat scatalogical in > nature due to the amount of FUD in the industry ;-) > > Duane > > > > > Francis McCabe wrote: > > > I rather like this definition. I agree completely that > service should > > not mention the delivery mechanism. Some additional comments: > > > > Firstly, I would shorten it to: > > > > "A service is an abstract action boundary to a set of behaviours" > > > > Rationale: The service is distinct from the results of the service. > > > > Secondly, building on the notion that behaviour is different to > > effect, I would go on to: > > > > "A service is an abstract action boundary to a set of effective > > behaviours" > > > > Not sure about the word effective, as it may be ambiguous > in ordinary > > English. > > > > Frank > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 27, 2005, at 2:04 PM, Duane Nickull wrote: > > > >> Perhaps combining all of these is closer to the answer: > >> > >> Duane suggests: "A service is an abstract action boundary > to a set of > >> behaviours or the observable result of some functionality." > >> > >> I would want to refrain from mentioning any actors such as > provider, > >> consumer, participant in this definition since we may > define those > >> later by referring to service (avoidance of circular > references). I > >> used the word "abstract" specific to our RM. In an RA, it > may be a > >> more concrete action boundary (see Microsoft def. below). > >> > >> More definitions of services: > >> > >> W3C says: "A Web service > <http://www.w3.org/TR/ws-arch/#service> is > >> an abstract notion that must be implemented by a concrete agent > >> <http://www.w3.org/TR/ws-arch/#agent>." (Thank you W3C. I am more > >> confused now. Next!) > >> > >> Microsoft says: "A software entity whose interactions with other > >> entities are via messages. Note that that a service need not be > >> connected to a network." (too concrete but good for RA. I > wonder why > >> they felt compelled to point out that it need not be > connected to the > >> network to be a service. This is in alignment with our > notion of "a > >> service is a service, even if not invoked" so I like that part.) > >> > >> CISCO says: "A group of related functions (or operations) > that work > >> together to provide a functional capability." (interesting > but does > >> really state what a service is, just what it represents). > >> > >> The US EPA says: "Breeding, the deposition of boar semen into the > >> female." (Hmmm - probably not useful - let's leave this one alone) > >> > >> DOI says: "A defined result from a defined action ie, do X and the > >> result will be Y. Services perform functions when invoked into > >> action." (paraphrased slightly. Too concrete but interesting) > >> > >> Apple says: " A service is an I/O Kit entity, based on a > subclass of > >> IOService, that has been published with the > registerService method > >> and provides certain capabilities to other I/O Kit > objects. In the > >> I/O Kit's layered architecture, each layer is a client of > the layer > >> below it and a provider of services to the layer above > it. A service > >> type is identified by a matching dictionary that describes > >> properties of the service. A nub or driver can provide > services to > >> other I/O Kit objects." > >> > >> I liked part of the latter analogy about the layering - > being a slave > >> to the entity above it while being a client of the entity > below it. > >> This effectively addresses the concept of service context. > >> In one context, something is a service consumer while in > another it > >> is a service provider. The definition is far to specific to Apple > >> but is useful to expand thinking. > >> > >> To continue extrapolating from Ken's ramblings, "Two things are > >> needed to effectively use a capability under SOA: > >> - understanding the underlying capability; > >> - understanding the accessing service." > >> > >> I fundamentally think that all that is really required is an > >> understanding of the behavioural aspects of the service, the data > >> model the service uses, the other metadata and the policies of the > >> service. > >> > >> Duane > >> > >> > >>> > >> > > >
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