|
YES ... Sign me up for the ebXML Forum
Newsletter
Email Address:
ebXML Forum does NOT send unsolicitied e-mail.
|
ebXML Registry
Specifications Advance
New version 2.5
supports federated registries, HTTP interactions, content
management, enhanced authentication
24 June 2003 – Earlier this month, the
OASIS ebXML Registry Technical Committee completed work on
version 2.5 of the specifications for e-business registries, and
issued the documents as Committee Approved Specifications under
the OASIS standards process. This step makes the specifications
available for review and consideration as an OASIS standard.
An ebXML Registry provides services for sharing
information on conducting electronic business and provides
publishing and discovery of that information. The registry
allows organizations to locate business process information and
other artifacts needed for electronic business. Key features and
functions of an ebXML Registry include registration of any type
of object, associations between any two objects, links to
external content, life cycle management of objects, flexible
query options, security functions, inter-registry cooperation,
and event archiving for a complete audit trail.
The specifications consist of two documents: the
ebXML Registry Services Specification v2.5 and the ebXML Registry
Information Model Specification v2.5. The Registry Services
Specification details the functions and operations of an ebXML
Registry, while the Registry Information Model outlines the
organization of the objects and data referenced in the registry.
New federated registry and
content management functions
The ebXML Registry v2.5 specifications have
several new enhancements and features over the current completed
version (2.1). For the first time, the specifications define the
operations of interconnected or federated registries. These
features include the linking of content and metadata about the
content across registry boundaries. They spell out the
replication of content and metadata among registries, and provide
for the movement of content and metadata from one registry to
another, as well as from one registry user to another. The
specifications also support queries to federated registries,
allowing for a single request to multiple registries.
Related to the federation features, the
specifications have added the ability to interact with registries
using HTTP commands. With this capability, users can query a
registry with arguments built into the HTTP command line in an
ordinary Web browser. The current specifications require
full-fledged SOAP or ebXML Messaging for interactions with a
registry. Adding HTTP commands will make it easier for simple
queries and encourage more interactions with other types of
registries and Web-based services.
The new specifications define stronger content
management functions for ebXML Registries. These new functions,
called Content Management Services, include automatic semantic
content validation, automatic content cataloging, and plug-in
support for user-defined content management services. The new
specifications also provide for content based event subscription
and notification, which allow registry visitors to subscribe for
updates to particular data or objects in the registry and receive
an alert when those updates occur.
Improved security
management
The ebXML Registry v2.5 specifications add more
security functions. The specifications now make use of the OASIS
eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) version 1.0 to
provide for finer-grained and more sophisticated authentication
and authorization. XACML is a standard XML-based vocabulary,
developed by another OASIS technical committee. XACML is designed
for the administration of authorization policies that can support
complex environments, such as federated services. With the use
of XACML, ebXML Registry managers can provide more precise
controls over access to registry services and functions.
The OASIS ebXML Registry Technical Committee has
posted the version 2.5 specifications for download at review at
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/documents.php?wg_abbrev=regrep
. Readers may comment on the documents; send comments to:
regrep-comment@lists.oasis-open.org .
Kathryn Breininger, Chair, OASIS ebXML
Registry Technical Committee, contributed to this article.
|