DISA release on ebXML registry

[Alan Kotok <akotok@disa.org>]

TO:  MAE Team

DISA today announced its plans to host an ebXML-compliant registry for data 
objects from ASC X12 and DISA affiliate organizations.  The text of the 
release follows.  Best regards.

Alan Kotok
Director, Education and Information Resources
Data Interchange Standards Association
akotok@disa.org
+1 703-518-4174

==================

DISA to Host ebXML-compliant Registry and Repository for E-Business Standards
DISA, with XML and EDI Groups, Drive Global Convergence to Syntax-Neutral 
Implementation

Alexandria, Va., March 19, 2001 - The Data Interchange Standards 
Association (DISA) announced plans to host an ebXML-compliant Registry and 
Repository for e-business standards and related content. Since 1987, DISA 
has been home for the development of the most robust cross-industry 
electronic data exchange standards. These standards provide the foundation 
to enable individuals, companies and organizations to participate in global 
e-business.

"DISA is home to the largest number of business-to-business transaction 
sets that provide efficient and effective B2B exchange," said DISA 
President and CEO Kerry C. Stackpole, CAE. "As we establish this dynamic 
resource, we at DISA are committed to working with users and providers 
around the world to make this Registry and Repository the most valuable 
tool ever created for the e-business community."

As the Secretariat to the American National Standards Institute Accredited 
Standards Committee (ASC) X12, DISA has provided a neutral forum for 
e-business standards development for almost 15 years, for a total of 15 
annual releases and 30 subreleases. ASC X12 and the UN/EDIFACT Working 
Group (EWG) recently launched a joint initiative to enhance 
business-to-business communications by defining and validating a set of 
protocol-neutral e-business objects valid within ebXML specifications, 
UN/EDIFACT messages and X12 standards. This single set of business objects 
(core components) will serve as the foundation for future developments in 
Extensible Markup Language (XML) and any other incarnation of electronic 
data interchange (EDI) and XML.

"Through our joint efforts with EWG, participation in ebXML, and 
integration of business modeling and XML into our X12 standards development 
process, we are building a set of protocol-neutral e-business objects," 
said David Barkley, ASC X12 Chair and Director of eCommerce Relations for 
Freddie Mac. "This initiative in concert with DISA's Registry and 
Repository leverages current company investments in EDI and extends the 
reach of e-business to small and midsize companies."

In addition to ASC X12 and EWG, DISA also provides technical and 
administrative support to a growing number of industry groups, which are 
pioneering the development of XML specifications. These groups include the 
OpenTravel Alliance (OTA), the Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX) Forum, 
the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO), and the 
Open Philanthropy eXchange (OPX). DISA's affiliation with the Hotel 
Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) fosters the use of 
Global Distribution Systems and electronic distribution methods within the 
hospitality industry. Collectively, DISA and its Affiliates include over 
1,000 companies representing multiple industries around the world.

"As a long-time supporter of ebXML, Sun is delighted that DISA will host an 
ebXML-compliant Registry and Repository," said Bill Smith, Director of 
Technology Development for the Software Systems Group, Sun Microsystems, 
Inc., and Member of the ebXML Executive Committee. "This will be a very big 
step forward in furthering ebXML specifically and interoperable B2B 
standards and content in general. Our enthusiasm and support for this 
initiative reflects our commitment to developing long-term B2B solutions 
based on open standards."

DISA's further support of the ebXML initiative was also recently evidenced 
by the ebXML presentations hosted at the February ASC X12 meeting in 
Seattle, and at DISA's E-Business and Internet Conference and Exhibition in 
San Francisco March 8.
Initial content for the Repository will include all ASC X12 EDI standards, 
the XML specifications being developed by DISA Affiliates, and related content.

"DISA's commitment to release an ebXML-compliant registry is a major step 
to prove the viability and flexibility of the ebXML specifications," said 
Scott Nieman, ebXML Registry Project Team Lead and Solutions Director for 
eIntegration at Norstan Consulting based in Minneapolis. "DISA's vision to 
extend the base functionality of the ebXML Registry specifications allows 
them to uniquely differentiate themselves in the e-business community and 
provide leading edge services to their longstanding community of end-users."

As part of its concurrent educational initiatives, which have long included 
seminars and training on EDI and XML, DISA will launch a training program 
on UN/CEFACT Modeling Methodology and Unified Modeling Language (UML). They 
will be held at DISA headquarters in Alexandria, Va., and include:

- Requirements Definition and Use Case Overview: May 21, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 
p.m., and May 22, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Unified Modeling Language (UML) for E-Business Process Modeling: May 23, 
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Unified Modeling Language (UML) for E-Business Object Modeling: May 24, 
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

DISA, the accredited standards community for e-business, is home for the 
development of cross-industry e-business standards that provide the 
foundation enabling individuals and organizations to participate in global 
e-business. Driving an array of e-business initiatives, DISA provides 
technical and administrative support to its Affiliates:

- Accredited Standards Committee X12
- OpenTravel Alliance
- Interactive Financial eXchange Forum
- Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association
- Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization
- Open Philanthropy eXchange
- XML/EDI Group

Propelling global e-business, DISA and ASC X12 serve as the entry point for 
the United States into the United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for 
Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT), an international 
standard relating to the exchange of trade goods and services. To learn 
more about DISA, visit www.disa.org or call +1 703-548-7005.