In OASIS, the Oasis ebXML Messaging Services (ebMS) Technical Committee (TC) has the responsibility for the research, design and specification of Web Services-based messaging protocols for B2B data exchange. In 2002 the TC developed the version 2.0 of ebMS. Since then it has continued to respond to emerging requirements and newer technologies and standards which in 2007 resulted in the OASIS standard approved version 3.0 Core Specification. 

Most recently the TC has produced two significant new deliverables:

~ The ebMS 3.0 Advanced Features Specification : extends the ebMS 3.0 Core Specification with support for ebMS intermediaries (multi-hop), efficient high-volume messaging (bundling) and exchange of very large messages (splitting and compression).

~ The AS4 profile: a light-weight profile of the ebMS 3.0 Core Specification. AS4 is designed with input from GS1 and is a Web Services-based functional super set of both ebMS 2.0 and of the EDIINT AS2 standard.

AS4 has the potential to become the standard for inter-cloud integration. From an integration perspective there are two key layers that make up an integration stack, these are the messaging layer and the payload layer. Even integration teams within companies like Cisco are looking at messaging standards like AS4 to facilitate inter-cloud interaction.

A key challenge in cloud computing is the interoperability among various cloud providers. This will continue to be a challenge until interoperability requirements are standardized to support business exchanges. AS4 helps to address this challenge for the messaging layer. The combination of standardized transports and message content will help facilitate critical adoption levels, continuing to drive down costs, and improve time to capability for business exchanges over the internet.

In this session, members of the TC will provide:

~ A recap of ebMS 3.0, its main features and advantages over the earlier version ~ A brief overview of AS4 and the new Advanced Features specification ~ An interoperability demonstration showing use of AS4 in support of the OAG Order to Invoice process for use in the mid-market. This demonstration will involve multiple independent AS4 implementations.

Who should attend:

~ Standards experts from other OASIS TCs and from other standards groups working on B2B data exchange or Web Services.
~ Software architects, product managers and product marketeers in B2B and data exchange areas.
~ End users and specialists with an interest in new trends in data exchange.

Reference links:
* ebMS TC public home page:
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ebxml-msg