EbXML

(to pronounce I-Bi-ix-EM-el), abbreviation of English Electronic Business using extensible Markup Language meaning e-business by using XML , is a succession of specifications based on the language XML usable for the E-business.

This following summer published by OASIS and a /CEFACT in the form of the technical specification ISO/TS 15000.

The objective is to provide a total infrastructure, open, founded on XML, making it possible to ensure the professional electronic exchanges (EEP or B2B in English) in manner interopérable.

ebXML is coupled with the Registre UDDI for the search for services Web.

Introduction

Complementary to EDIFACT ( Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport ) which is rather reserved for the important exchanges between stable partners, ebXML is addressed to the Entreprise S of all sizes, while making it possible to define the electronic exchanges between the various company and its Partenaire S, as the electronic Catalog S…

The specification claims to be in the prolongation of the step already initiated since about thirty years, called EDIFACT.

The architecture of ebXML is conceived to be coupled with that of the register UDDI. It is based on the common use of component and profiles of Business partners (" trading partner profiles"). These concepts are directly implemented in the specifications of ebXML.

ebXML is resulting from technologies of the ooEDI (exchange of information computerized directed object), of the methodological concepts of UML /UMM, of mobility XML and the project “future vision” of group ANSI X12 EDI.

This work is already integrated into the current version of ebXML. The activity continues to take into account the projections of other groups such as the OMG and OASIS - in particular specification BCM of OASIS (Methodology Business-Centric or Directed Methodology Trade).

History

In Europe, the Gouvernement S became aware of the stakes of the e-business towards 1997. In France, Francis Lorentz began in October 1997 a mission on the E-business, which it presented in May 1998.

ebXML began in 1999 like a common initiative between the a /CEFACT (United Nations Centers for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) and OASIS (Organization for the Advancement off Structured Information Standards). A common coordination committee gathers representatives of each of the two organizations to maintain the effort. Quarterly meetings of the work groups were held between November 1999 and May 2001. With the final plenary session, a draft-agreement was signed by the two organizations, splitting the responsibility for the various characteristics but continuing the supervision by a common coordination committee.

The original project considered five layers of specifications of data, including standards XML for:

  • Process trade (Business Process, BP),
  • Agreements of Protocol of Collaboration (CPA),
  • Component commun runs of data (Core dated components, CDC, or Core components),
  • Transmission of messages,
  • Enregistrements and deposits.

At the end of work of the two organizations, the délivrable was submitted to the technical committee 154 of the ISO for approval. The International organization of standardization (ISO) approved the five following characteristics of ebXML as a standard of ISO 15000, under the general title of " E-business in extensible language of beaconing (ebXML) " (in English: " Extensible Electronic business Markup Language"):

  • ISO 15000-1: collaboration agreement of profile of associated ebXML,

  • ISO 15000-2: specifications of service " messages" of ebXML,
  • ISO 15000-3: model of recording of information ebXML,
  • ISO 15000-4: specification of recording of the services ebXML,
  • ISO 15000-5: Technical specification of the Components Common ebXML (CCTS) 2.2.

All these Norme S is available only in English.

The technical committees OASIS and UN/CEFACT ensure the responsibility to maintain and make progress the characteristics above.

The freebXML.org initiative was established to support the development and the adoption of the management software of the base ebXML in open source.

ebXML generated other work on the exchange of information and of Métadonnées, with SDMX (Statistical dated and metadata exchange).

Current work

Work continues (2006 - 2007) on the reinforcement and the maturation of ebXML, in particular in the sectors of the services Web and the Orientated architectures services (SOA, Service Oriented Architectures).

Transmission of messages (ebMS)

The last specifications of transmission of messages of ebXML (v3.0) can be looked like a specialization of the Web services for exchanges business-business (B2B). Conformity with the Norme S of services Web does not remove the raison d'être of the personalized software of the Web planned for the transmission of the messages. Varied modes of treatment of messages must be constant beyond the concept of service: a message can be aligned and used by a process of businesses, to be put on standby for a batch processing, to be dispatched with an application, to be road by a bus SOA, etc v3.0 re-uses the characteristics of the Web services which provide functions to the level of the protocol (safety, reliability), and built the devices which will satisfy the needs for businesses: standard headings of businesses, models of exchange sweater (not simply push or question/answer), support of the transactions of businesses (as in UMM), authorization of message at the applicatif level. Bond in the technical banner page ebMS:

Process of businesses and collaboration (ebBP)

The ebBP (continuation of bps) aims at the monitoring of the processes of collaboration of businesses between partners. In December 2006, ebXML bps (Business Process Diagram Specifications, (specifications of diagram of Process of businesses) or the ebBP v2.0.4 was approved like a standard OASIS. The tender in the ISO is envisaged.

The ebBP v2 improves the use of ebXML, the services Web and the possibilities connected by SOA such as context and the support of multiple collaboration. The ebBP assists the communities for the basic file-swapping, of transmission of messages, and/or the exchanges based on SOAP. It specifies the economic activities - simple or complex, of niche or made up - and the quality of the contracts of services such as reliability, the Sécurité, and the emission of opinion of exception or notices of receipt envisaged. The models of transaction, the conditional expressions, the semantic variables of businesses and other functions support the activities varied in binary collaborations or multi-parts constituting the environment of E-business.

The improvement and the adoption of the ebBP were led mainly by communities of users in fields such as the EGouvernement, the Santé, the finance departments, the Comptabilité, textile and different knittings/. An editor Open source, freebxmlbp, is available on SourceForge.

Bond in the banner page ebBP:

Profile and agreement of protocol of collaboration (CPPA)

Technical committee CPPA (Protocol Collaboration Profiles and Agreement) ebXML currently has two principal initiatives. The first relates to the achievement of an update of version 2 of ebXML CPPA, and the second is a note on the installation of services for the exchange and the conclusion of CPAs (agreements of protocols of collaboration).

The update of CPPA includes several leading clarifications and engineering changes of diagram which were approved since the publication of the version 2 (ISO 15000-1 of ebXML CPPA: 2004). An appendix normative defines how codes of ISO 6523 are put in correspondence of the URI S which identify “types of parts”. The principal changes of this update of the specifications of CPPA are locate in a prolongation which makes use of groups of substitution for the extension of CPPs and CPAs to meet other approaches of process of businesses and/or grid system. The application of this extensibility to other models of protocols of transmission of messages (EDIINT, *** and ebMS 3.0) is provided.

Applications of incorporation of WSDL and WS-Policy are also in project. The specifications of Processus of businesses of ebBP of OASIS are adapted consequently in the new approach of extensibility. Examples of version 2 of CPP or CPA will be validated according to the new diagram after the change of the Espace of names (namespace) and some leading modifications in conformity with the prefixes of attribute and the choices by defect of the new diagram. In the final analysis, an alternative structure for CollaborationRole allows contents of model much " more plat". The projects of negotiation were actively updated to make use of the document descriptor of negotiation in a considerably simplified process of collaboration agreement. The document is at the initial stages of the editorial process. Bond in the banner page CPP and CPA:

Recording (register) and deposit

The specifications of recording of ebXML OASIS were developed in order to carry out recording S and deposits interopérable S, with an interface which allows the tender so much, that the interrogation and the recovery of the contents of the recording and the deposit. A recording/deposit is component important of an infrastructure of SOA.

The specifications of recording of ebXML evolved/moved until providing a very rich whole of possibilities to satisfy the Exigence S of SOA as regards Gouvernance and of federate management of aggregate information. The devices include the management of the identity and access controls, research preset and specific research, the version, the Taxonomie S defined by the user, types of relation extended as well as the types of relations defined for the user, the support of engagements of which HTTP (REST) and SOAP API, the subscription and the opinion of event, questions, validation of WSDL, and standard prolongations necessary to certain specific cases of use. Version 3.0 of the standards of recording of ebXML (ISO 15000 -3 and -4) is available in remote loading:

Bond in the banner page ebXML and OASIS:

Bond in the banner page of the project of recording:

Components of core (CCTS)

See also: CCTS

Within one /CEFACT TMG, work continues on components of core (in English Core component ), sometimes called Composants commun runs.

This work is also interested in relative technology such as the assembly of context and contained.

The common Composant is a concept retained in the common Cadre of interworking European, and in France in the general reference frame of interworking RGI in its part the semantic shutter.

Conceptual overall picture of architecture of ebXML

Structure in three layers

While the specifications of ebXML adopted by the ISO and OASIS seek to provide the formal procedures XML which can be applied directly - the architecture of ebXML is concentrated on the concepts and methodologies which can more largely be applied to make it possible experts to improve of the solutions of professional electronic exchanges.

The specification ebXML comprises three layers:

  • the layer business information,
  • the layer business process,
  • the layer partner discovery.

This total, open architecture and interopérable allow uses by the semantic Search engines.

Source: ebXML technical architecture, Vancouver, 2000

Lay down " business information" , context

See also: common Component

At the time of the modeling of the processes, the messages are defined by using Composants commun runs ( core components ), which also belong to the Registre of directory UDDI. These components are reusable as in EDIFACT. Thus, of the elements common to several messages, such as the address, the means of contacts, the coordinates banking, etc are defined only once. They appear in the standard of data businessEntity of UDDI

Basic components can be elementary (zip code, name, amount, etc) or aggregate (addresses, natural person, etc). The basic components and the principles of construction of reusable blocks are described in the document CCTS.

The basic components can vary according to various elements such as the country, the sector, the message, etc information associated with a natural person, within a medical framework are rather different from those used in a professional framework (your listener will not want to perhaps give you its birth date).

EbXML makes it possible to adapt the basic components according to their use through the concept of context. It defines eight contextual dimensions: the process, geopolitical localization (country, area, etc), the role of the partner, the role of the third, the sector, the produced or the service, the legislation/regulation, possibilities of the systems.

In addition to the elementary and incorporated common components, which carry a semantics trade, there exists a third category, the standard common component, which does not carry semantics.

The technical specification of components (CCTS, Core Component Technical Specification) continues in UN/CEFACT. It is the subject of specification ISO/TS 15000-5.

His/her cousin UBL (Universal Business Language), is a specification developed by a group OASIS to put pursuant to the specific transactions of XML based on the application of the principles of CCTS to the typical transactions of the Supply chain, such as the Facture, the order, the transport demand, etc UBL already is used and implemented by administrations of Northern Europe and Spain.

Lay down " process of affaires"

See also: Process of businesses

ebXML integrates a Méthodologie and a complete infrastructure of support of the electronic exchanges. It imposes a modeling Processus of businesses and Message S allowing the re-use of the already definite parts (process or messages).

ebXML uses a methodology created by one /CEFACT, UMM (UN/CEFACT Modelling Methodology) which defines the processes and the messages by using the standard of notation of modeling UML (Unified Modeling Language) of OMG (Object Management Group).

The processes of businesses are described through a language bps (Business Process Diagram Specification) which is expressed in XML.

Lay down " partenaires"

The principle of ebXML is to facilitate the interworking between the companies, with nimble architectures.

Description XML bps shows the sequence of all the possible exchanges, with their Règles trade, in a scenario which can be multi-party (concept of Chorégraphie of the Services Web *** - choreography), but does not treat internal processes with the companies (concept of orchestration ). Thus, a complete process of international purchase will model the exchanges of messages between different the Partenaire S (Acheteur, salesman, conveyers, Douane S, Assurance S, Banque S, etc) seen in a total way but excluding the internal adaptations to the partners (treatment of the order towards stocks, manufacture, integration in PGI, etc).

Generation of messages

When designing message, a diagram of classes UML is defined for the message. This diagram is then used to generate a Schéma XML message, through a mapping UML Core Components defined in the document.

The description of the message uses the basic components, adapted to the context of the message. This message is independent of the syntax used for the exchange: EDIFACT or ebXML. The Schéma XML of the message must respect the specifications XML Design and Naming Rules.

Branches of industry concerned

The general specification is adapted by organizations of standardization national and sectoral, in order to better take into account the needs for each branches of activity.

Sector of accountancy, the taxation and the reporting

Association Edificas was interested very early in the treatment of the Comptabilité and the communication of the financial informations in order to store productivity gains and to facilitate the fluidity of the exchanges on the French national ground. In fact, since 1987. That resulted very quickly in the adoption of the standard EDIFACT, thus joining the world of the Industrie, the trade and the finance with which the Comptabilité is naturally associated, but also the world of standardization because it was desirable to sit the projects on solid concepts apart from any concept of Intellectual property.

The initiative ebXML of the Comptabilité depends on a certain number of models (see table 1) whose principal ones relate to the newspaper, the Plan accountant, the Grand book, the countable Balance, the Bilan and the Reporting (countable, financial and tax). Others came added and more particularly the plans from regrouping making it possible to obtain starting from the Comptabilité the informational aggregates intended to feed the Reporting.

Since 1998, with the emergence of XML, the step is carried out in parallel in the two worlds: that of EDIFACT and that of ebXML. In this last field, two projects are currently carried out and which relate to in particular the entry: project ENTREC in the world EDIFACT, and the project Accounting entry in the world ebXML.

In complement of this initiative, it is necessary to raise the presence of the " token comptable" electronics, emanating from the entry ebXML, and which is intended to be hung with any message ebXML having to be the subject of a writing in Comptabilité, which is currently the case of the commercial chain and the Government contracts.

All this work is completed within the TBG12 Accounting & Audit of the a /CEFACT. the Accounts Department, the taxation and the reporting (Edificas).

Sector commercial

In France, the trade (GENCOD) is a very active sector.

Sector of the bank and finance

The sector of the Bank and the Finance are dealt with by CFONB, and SWIFT. The sector of the Assurance is dealt with by CFNA, and GEMMATED for the mutual insurances

Sector of agriculture

The sector of the Agriculture is dealt with at the European level by Agro EDI Europe.

Sector of construction

The sector of construction is dealt with by EDIBUILT. The technical equipment of the building is treated by EDIBATEC.

Sector of pharmacy

The sector of the Pharmacie is dealt with by EDIPHARM.

Textile clothing

The sector of the shoe is dealt with by EDI Shoe, the die Textile/Habillement/Distribution by EDITEX.

Other branches of industry

Ushers (CNHJ), edition (DILICOM), the management of water (OICE), etc

Uses within the governmental framework

Asia

The China adopted ebXML like national standard for the E-business.

See: Catalog off Chinese standards

The United States

The United States does not employ ebXML for the federal administration nor for that of the States. The federal government lays out for large the kingly Fonctions of Registres of metadata which are based on the standard ISO 11179 (definition of the concepts and organization).

European Union

Although the initial vocation of the specifications of the UN/CEFACT is an application to the E-business, the concepts of ebXML are proposed in the European Union for the systems of E-government as a common Cadre of interworking. In France, the General Reference frame of Interworking RGI refers to a methodology inspired of the concepts of ebXML: method UML/XML.

Reference

  • UN/Cefact' S Modelling Methodology (UMM): UMM Meta Model - Foundation Modulates Version 1.0, Technical Specification 2006-10-06;

  • UN/Cefact - ebXML Core Components Technical Specifications version 2.01 - ISO 15000-5;
  • UN/Cefact Business Requirements Specification version 1.5 (Cefact/ICG/005);
  • Unified Modeling Language (UML version 1.4);
  • UN/CEFACT Business Process Diagram Specification - Version 1.10 - 2003-10-18, for other version: Finely " Download" , then to select " Business Process Working Group, then " BPSS".
  • - ebXML Core ComponentsTechnical Specifications Version 2.01 - ISO 15000-5: 2005 -, for other versions, http://www.untmg.org: Finely " Download" , then to select " Core Components Working Group, then " Core ComponentsTechnical Specifications ".
  • UML Profiles for Core Components - Version candidate 1.0 (founded on CCTS version 2.1) - 2006-10-31 -, for other versions: Finely " Download" , then to select " Business Process Working Group, then " UML profiles for Core Components".
  • XML Naming and Rules Design - Version 2.0 - 2006-02-17 -, for other versions:

See too

External bonds

  • French-speaking Site on the ebXml

  • Center of the United Nations for the Facilitation of the Commercial Procedures and the E-business
  • EdiFrance
  • ebXML.org Official site ebXML
  • List off Web service markup languages
  • Simple introduction to ebXML
  • RosettaNet
  • freebXML.org
  • freebXML open Registry source project
  • ebxmlForum. org homepage
  • OASIS homepage
  • News OASIS: ISO Approves ebXML OASIS Standards
  • UN/CEFACT homepage
  • ISO/TS 15000

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