Story at CRN re ebXML and RosettaNet

[Simon Nicholson <simonn@eng.sun.com>]

All,
This story was posted at CRN this week.

Simon

***EBXML : A ROOM FOR TWO -- XML standards coexist ***
Elizabeth Montalbano
URL: http://www.crn.com/Components/Search/Article.asp?ArticleID=20753
10/23/2000
Computer Reseller News
San Francisco - There's room for more than just one consortium to direct
XML standards, say leaders of two groups that are pushing
initiatives to standardize the use of the technology for B2B integration.
Leaders from the groups-RosettaNet and OASIS-say that, when final
implementations shake out, the groups' XML standards work will be
complementary.
Recently, RosettaNet held an EConcert meeting here where vendors and
distributors from the IT and electronic components industries said
they now are using RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (PIPs) to
conduct live online transactions to streamline B2B supply chains.
RosettaNet is a non-profit consortium formed two years ago to standardize
how XML is used to define business processes in B2B. Its
main work is concerned with standardizing those processes in vertical
markets.
At the conference, RosettaNet President Jennifer Hamilton said the use of
RosettaNet PIPs does not mean the work being done by the
OASIS consortium to develop its ebXML framework will not also be a valid
way to standardize XML in B2B.
Rather, she said that once OASIS completes its ebXML standards work (its
target date is February 2001), RosettaNet may even replace
the horizontal framework it created to implement PIPs with the ebXML
framework implementation.
" EbXML is a great opportunity [because] it's a horizontal framework that
verticals could plug into, and RosettaNet is vertical," said
Hamilton. "We're looking for a migration path to converge to that when
it's ready."
Hamilton added that the only reason RosettaNet created its own vertical
framework similar to the work OASIS is doing is because "it didn't
exist" at the time the group began its work.
"Over time, we expect to converge [to ebXML ]," she said.
Several weeks ago, IBM's Bob Sutor, vice chair of the OASIS board of
directors, told CRN that RosettaNet indeed is eyeing the use of
ebXML once OASIS' work on the standard messaging framework is complete.
"RosettaNet is looking at replacing their messaging layer with ebXML ,"
said Sutor. "They want to get rid of the low-level framework."
He also said that ebXML is not contrary to any XML standards work that's
being done by other groups such as the W3C or UDDI.
"We're not interested in having lots and lots of competing standards,"
said Sutor.
He added that in B2B, there is room for various flavors of XML to work
together.
EbXML will be the "plumbing" to support such convergence, said Sun
Microsystems' Bill Smith, another member of the OASIS board.
"We're not replacing content, ebXML is the envelope the message is
deposited into-the verticals provide the content," he says.


===========================================================================
Simon Nicholson
Snr. Market Strategist
XML Technology Centre
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Tel:    +1 (650) 786 4238
Fax:    +1 (650) 786 5723
Email: simonn@eng.sun.com