ebXML Passes Critical Interoperability Milestone
12 December 2000
ebXML Passes Critical Interoperability Milestone
"Could Become First Global Trading Standard," stated One of the Proof-of-
Concept Authors, JP Morgenthal of XMLSolutions
MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 12 At a news conference held in San
Francisco today, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured
Information Standards (OASIS) demonstrated the results of a proof-of-concept
for ebXML, a new, open, standards-based framework for facilitating global
trade. An initiative of the United Nations body for Trade Facilitation and
Electronic Business Information Standards (UN/CEFACT) and OASIS, ebXML offers
the only integrated electronic business infrastructure currently available.
According to OASIS, the vision of ebXML is to create a single global
electronic marketplace where enterprises of any size and in any geographical
location can meet and conduct business with each other through the exchange of
XML-based messages. ebXML's proof of concept was first demonstrated in Tokyo
on November 2, 2000.
"The high level of corporate participation in ebXML's proof-of-concept
could result in this infrastructure becoming the first global standard for
XML," said JP Morgenthal, one of five authors of the ebXML Proof-of-Concept
Executive Summary, and Chief Technology Officer at XMLSolutions Corporation,
McLean, VA. "What better way to show the global potential for a new
interoperable e-business framework than to have the participation of prominent
corporate buyers, sellers, hub-providers, registry and repository providers,
and users at the proof-of-concept phase of ebXML."
XMLSolutions, a leading worldwide provider of software for conducting XML-
based direct materials procurement, has participated with Cisco Systems,
Sterling Commerce and Sun Microsystems to advance the development of ebXML as
the four registry and repository providers in the development of ebXML.
These four companies provided the specifications for the trading partner
management component of ebXML by demonstrating interoperability with their
existing software. XMLSolutions' Business Integration Platform supports
ebXML.
"Today's proof-of-concept demonstration makes it clear that the core
technical infrastructure of ebXML is available today, enabling business to
begin planning how to integrate this important e-business solution into
existing business practices," stated Ron Shelby, CEO of XMLSolutions.
XMLSolutions, a member of OASIS, develops software solutions that remove
trade barriers, enabling uniform transactions among customers, exchanges, and
trading partners of all sizes. XMLSolutions Business Integration Platform,
includes support for XML-to-XML transformations; EDI-to-XML translation; and
over 3000 mission-critical, industry-specific EDI business documents.
"XMLSolutions joined fifteen other industry leaders in a collaborative
effort to prove that implementing ebXML can be accomplished quickly and
easily," said Klaus-Dieter Naujok, chair of ebXML and member of the UN/CEFACT
Steering Group. "We applaud XMLSolutions for their contribution to this ebXML
proof-of-concept and look forward to their continued support of this vital
initiative."
About UN/CEFACT
UN/CEFACT (http://www.uncefact.org) is the United Nations body whose mandate
covers worldwide policy and technical development in the area of trade
facilitation and electronic business. Headquartered in Geneva, it has
developed and promoted many tools for the facilitation of global business
processes including UN/EDIFACT, the international EDI standard. Its current
work program includes such topics as Simpl-edi and Object-Oriented EDI and it
strongly supports the development and implementation of open, interoperable
global standards and specifications for electronic business.
About OASIS
OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org) is the world's largest independent, non-
profit organization dedicated to the standardization of XML applications.
OASIS sponsors include Adobe Systems, Aerospatiale, AND Data Solutions,
Arbortext, B-Bop Associates, BEA Systems, Boeing, Bowstreet, Bridge,
BroadVision, Chrystal Software, Cohesia, Commerce One, Corel, DataChannel,
Dataloom, DMSi, Documentum, Dun & Bradstreet, eCredit.com, Enigma, eXcelon,
Extensibility, Extricity Software, First Call, IBM, InformIT, Informix,
InterCAP, Interwoven, ISOGEN, ITEDO, JetForm, Keyfile, Logistics Management
Institute, Mercator Software, Microsoft, NextPage, NII Enterprise Promotion
Association, Nimble Technology, NIST, Oracle Corporation, Pick Systems, ProNet
Technology, Reuters, Sabre, SAP, Sequoia Software, SoftQuad, Software AG,
STEP, StreamServe, Sun Microsystems, Synth-Bank, Visa, Wavo, Webb Interactive
Services, webMethods, Whitehill Technologies, Xerox, XMLSolutions and
XyEnterprise
About XMLSolutions
XMLSolutions Corporation (http://www.xmls.com) enables the secure, real-time B2B
exchange of direct materials transactions over the Internet. By eliminating a
company's EDI and XML dialect dependencies, XMLSolutions removes trade
barriers, enabling uniform transactions among customers, exchanges, and
trading partners of all sizes. The XMLSolutions integrated solution includes
support for XML-to-XML transformations; EDI-to-XML translation; and over 3000
mission-critical, industry-specific EDI business documents. XMLSolutions is
headquartered in Northern Virginia's technology corridor with offices in
Atlanta; Charlotte; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Bangalore, India; Seoul,
Korea; South Africa; The Netherlands; Denmark; Austria; Sweden; Switzerland;
Belgium; Germany; France; Italy; Spain; and the United Kingdom.