Introduction to ebXML Mike Rawlins ebXML Requirements Team Project Leader

What We’ll Cover Background on ebXML Initiative ebXML Requirements Product and Process Architectures Overview of Specifications and Reports What’s next

The ebXML Initiative - Inception Initiated by UN/CEFACT - United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business Recruited OASIS - Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards Announced September, 1999 To be a 15 to 18 month work program

Industry Groups Support ebXML The Open Healthcare Group

OASIS Members Support ebXML

The ebXML Initiative - Execution First meeting in November, 1999 –Very broad participation –Get acquainted –Organized into project teams Meetings every three months Final meeting in May, 2001

ebXML Goals and Requirements Specifications to enable interoperability Extend e-commerce to SMEs and emerging markets Business requirements –Minimize cost, internationalization, security, legal, etc. Infrastructure functional requirements ebXML Process & Organization

ebXML Architectures Product Architecture - the technical infrastructure Process Architecture - how to do business process analysis for e-commerce (systems, standards, XML schemas, etc.)

Technical Infrastructure Elements Messaging Service Registry & Repository Trading Partner Information Business Process Specification Schema

Messaging Service Exchange payload reliably & securely Internal routing Neutral to actual file transfer protocol

Registry & Repository R&R together form a database Provide services to: –Store and retrieve objects –Query –Update –Track versions –Classify

Trading Partner Information Technical details of how to do e-business Collaboration Protocol Profile (CPP) Collaboration Protocol Agreement (CPA)

Business Process Specification Schema (BPSS) Business details of how to do e-business Provides a way to describe a business process in an XML document Implements subset of UN/CEFACT Meta Model

3 Build System Specifications Profiles Scenarios Request ebXML specification 1 4 Register company profile Query about Company X 5 Request Company X’s Scenario 9 DO BUSINESS! 11 Send Company X’s Scenario 10 ebXML BP Model ebXML BO Library Send Company X’s Profile 6 Submit TPA 7 TPA Accepted 8 Send ebXML specification 2 Usage Example

Business Process Analysis Primary methodology is UN/CEFACT’s Modeling Methodology (UMM) Defines process and the types of information required from the analysis Provides initial catalogs of: –Business processes –Core components

ebXML “Core Components” Building blocks for XML schemas, etc. “Syntax neutral”, with unique IDs Similar to “common business objects” but with context Naming conventions follow ISO Description of context drivers Approach for extending core components into context dependent domain components

Putting It Together Business Process and Information Models Registration UML to XML conversion Internal Business App Shrink-wrap Application Repository Implementers Build Retrieval of ebXML Specifications & Models Build Retrieval of new or updated ebXML Models ebXML Transport Business Message BSI Interface TPA Business Message BSI Interface

Product versus Process Internal Business App Shrink-wrap Application Repository Implementers Business Process and Information Models Build Registration UML to XML conversion Retrieval of ebXML Specifications & Models Build Retrieval of new or updated ebXML Models ebXML Transport Business Message BSI Interface TPA Business Message BSI Interface

Technical Specifications Requirements Specification Technical Architecture Business Process Specification Schema Registry Information Model Registry Services Specification Messaging Services Specification Collaboration Protocol Profile & Agreement

Total of 14 Business Process –Overview, guidelines, worksheets, catalogs Core Components Technical Architecture Risk Assessment Technical Reports

Using UDDI to find ebXML Registry Registry Security Proposal Proposed revisions to architecture White Papers

Proofs of Concept Started at May, 2000 meeting - Message Handling Final PoC in May, 2001 demonstrated most of ebXML Many vendors participated

OASIS responsible for: –Messaging Services –Registry –CPA/CPP UN/CEFACT responsible for –Business Process –Core Components What’s Next

Jointly responsible for –New requirements –Architecture –Marketing Work together by –Steering group –Joint meetings –Liaisons What’s Next

Proposal to transform the EDIFACT Working Group into: Electronic Business Working Group –BPI Modeling –UN/EDIFACT –Syntax & Production Rules –Support Libraries –Architecture UN/CEFACT Plans

Related Efforts EWG/X12 Joint Core Components initiative –Started in fall, 2000 –Continuing, but dependent on CEFACT reorg UBL –Universal Business Language –Initiated by Jon Bosak of Sun –Interim solution, based on xCBL –Trying to work under UN/CEFACT auspices

“ebXML is our only chance this decade to establish an international e-commerce standard.”

“It is clear that ebXML will soon become the standard for all global trade. By implementing ebXML, GCI takes advantage of the excellent work that’s being accomplished to streamline many EDI processes and remove waste and redundancy from supply chains.”

“ebXML provides a platform on which to build standards... that are developed faster and yet supported by a rich set of software tools.”

ebXML - UN/CEFACT - OASIS - Critical Analysis of ebXML - For More Information