David Cheung, CECID/HKU 1

A Closer Look at ebXML

Dr. David Dr. David WaiWai--loklok CheungCheung

(張偉犖博士)Director

Center for ECenter for E--Commerce Commerce Infrastructure DevelopmentInfrastructure Development

(www.cecid.hku.hk) The University of Hong Kong

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New Rules for IT ManagementNew Rules for IT ManagementI T Doesn’t Matter, I T Doesn’t Matter, Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review, May 2003, May 2003

Spend less – companies with the biggest IT

investments rarely post the best financial results;

Follow, don’t lead – Moore’s Law guarantees that the

longer you wait to make an IT purchase, the more you’ll

get for your money; commoditization of IT is continuing

Focus on vulnerabilities, not opportunities – as

corporations continue to cede control over IT

applications to vendors, the threats they face will

proliferate – protect yourself

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Identifying the Needs and UsersIdentifying the Needs and Users

What action to take after the BPR ?

Reach other B/Ds more effectively ?

Better communications with the private sectors ?

Provide better services to the citizens ?

Next generation XML systems ?

Open e-Government systems ?

Integration of major government applications ?

Interoperability and standardization ?

Who are the real users and what are their needs ?

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ChallengesChallengesThree levels of operational needs

1. large enterprise level interactions

2. enterprise to small business interactions

3. small business to small business interactions

Two aspects of technology requirement

1. Data exchange between enterprises

2. System integration within enterprises

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Enterprise and B2B IntegrationEnterprise and B2B Integration

System1

System2

System1

System2

Enterprise 1 Enterprise 2

Integration exchange Integration

B2B iEAI EAI

1

2 3

4

5

6

7

89

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How to facilitate this with XML technology ?

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<event><event_name> ITSD Seminar </event_name>ITSD Seminar </event_name><topic> A Closer Look at ebXML ebXML </topic><date> 30-May-2003 </date><start-time> 9:30am </start-time><end-time> 10:30am </end-time><venue> ITSD Wan Chai Tower </venue><speaker>

<name> Dr. David Cheung </name><organization>

<org_name> CECID, HKU </org_name><title> Director </title>

</organization><organization>

<org_name> CSIS, HKU </org_name><title> Associate Professor </title>

</organization></speaker>

</event>

What is XML ?What is XML ?

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XML XML –– Technical FeaturesTechnical FeaturesA set of tags (elements), e.g., <event>, <topic>, <date> ……A particular XML file may have a DTD (schema) to define the hierarchical relationships between the tags (regular expression)

An <event> has (children) • <event_name>• <topic>• etc …………….

A <speaker> has (children)• <name>• <organization>• etc……………….

An XML file is well formed (valid) if the tags are paired up properly

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XML XML –– SemanticsSemantics

An XML file contains self-descriptive data

The meaning of the value attached to a tag can be understood by a machine if the vocabulary has been given to the machine

Program can be written to interpret the value following a tag accordingly

e.g. <topic>XML for E-Business Application</topic>

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Technical AssessmentTechnical Assessment

XML can facilitate machine to machine interface (HTML & Web cannot)

Good for modeling hierarchical structured data

Useful for defining data exchange standards

Technical challenges :

Costly to process

Difficult to handle

Data size explosion

Not easy to store in RDBMS

Performance could be an issue in some cases

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XML in Business ApplicationsXML in Business Applications

Define standards for different industries to capture data (business documents)Support interoperability between computer systems – fundamental for B2B, B2G, logistics, etc…

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Define Standards in XMLDefine Standards in XMLXML can be used to define vocabularies for a particular industry Example : Purchase Order from xCBL

<Order>

<OrderHeader>

<BuyerOrderNumber>� 4500005693 </BuyerOrderNumber>

<OrderIssueDate>� 20010203T12:00:00 </OrderIssueDate>

<BuyerParty><PartyID>� 3000 </PartyID></BuyerParty>

</OrderHeader>

<OrderDetail>

<ItemDetail>

<LineItemNum>� 00010 </LineItemNum>

<Quantity>� 10 </Quantity>

<UOMCoded>� EA </UOMCoded>

<UnitPriceValue>� 10.00 </UnitPriceValue>

</ItemDetail>

</OrderDetail>

</Order>

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DataData

Three Dimensions of Three Dimensions of InteroperabilityInteroperability

MessagingMessaging

Proce

ss

Proce

ss

Open standards provide interoperability opportunity

Open standards bring in competition, drive down cost and open up market

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What is What is ebXML ebXML ??

Registry

Company A Company B

Collaboration Protocol Agreement(CPA)

Transport, Routing and Packaging of Business Documents

Profile ofCompany A

Profile ofCompany B

Profile ofCompany B

A standard for providing EDI-like services on Internet• secure & reliable exchange of business documents

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ebXML ebXML Messaging ServicesMessaging Services

ebMS V 2.0TRP layer of ebXML frameworkTransport• Supports multiple Internet protocols: HTTP, SMTP,

FTP• Supports secure transport channels, e.g. SSL for

HTTP, S/MIME for e-mailRouting• Supports multiple hops of message handlers

Packaging• SOAP with Attachments extension (SWA) • Uses XML signature to sign a message

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ebMS ebMS is based on SOAPis based on SOAP

A Message Package is a MIME envelope with two logical MIME parts

Header ContainerPayload Container

ebMS - Reliable Web Services; SOAP based

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Sample Sample ebXMLebXML MessageMessage

POST� /servlet/ebXMLhandler HTTP/1.1

Host:� www.example2.com

Content-Type:� text/xml;� charest=“utf-8”

Content-Length:628

SOAPAction:� "ebXML"

Content-type:� multipart/related;�

boundary="BoundarY";� type="text/xml";

start="� <ebxhmheader111@example.com>"

--BoundarY

Content-ID:� <ebxhmheader111@example.com>

Content-Type:� text/xml

…….

HTTP Header

SOAP Message

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<?xml version="1.0"� encoding="UTF-8"?>

<SOAP-ENV:Envelope� xmlns:SOAP-ENV='http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/‘xmlns:eb='http://www.ebxml.org/namespaces/messageHeader'>

<eb:MessageHeader eb:id="…"� eb:version="2.0"�

SOAP:mustUnderstand="1">

<eb:From>

<eb:PartyId>uri:example.com</eb:PartyId>�<eb:Role>http://rosettanet.org/roles/Buyer</eb:Role>

</eb:From>

<eb:To>

<eb:PartyId� � � � � � �eb:type="someType">QRS543</eb:PartyId

<eb:Role>http://rosettanet.org/roles/Seller</eb:Role>

</eb:To>

<eb:CPAId>http://www.oasis-open.org/cpa/123456</eb:CPAId>

<eb:ConversationId>987654321</eb:ConversationId>

<eb:Service�eb:type="myservicetypes">QuoteToCollect</eb:Service>

<eb:Action>NewPurchaseOrder</eb:Action>

<eb:MessageData>

<eb:MessageId>UUID-2</eb:MessageId>

<eb:Timestamp>2000-07-25T12:19:05</eb:Timestamp>

<eb:RefToMessageId>UUID-1</eb:RefToMessageId>

</eb:MessageData>

<eb:DuplicateElimination/>

</eb:MessageHeader>

SOAP Header

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<SOAP-ENV:Body>

<eb:Manifest� eb:id="Manifest"� eb:version="2.0">

<eb:Reference� eb:id="pay01“

xlink:href=cid:payload-1

xlink:role="http://regrep.org/gci/purchaseOrder">

<eb:Schema�

eb:location="http://regrep.org/gci/purchaseOrder/po.xsd"�

eb:version="2.0"/>

<eb:Description� xml:lang="en-US">

Purchase� Order� 10,000� widgets</eb:Description>� � �

</eb:Reference>

</eb:Manifest>

</SOAP-ENV:Body>

</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>

--BoundarY

Content-ID:� <cid:payload-1>

Content-Type:� text/xml

<?xml version="1.0"� encoding="UTF-8"?>

<purchase_order>

<po_number>1</po_number>

<part_number>123</part_number>

<price� currency="USD">500.00</price>

</purchase_order>

--BoundarY--

SOAP Body

Payload

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ebXMLebXML and business processesand business processes• Many “good practices” have been developed in the EDI

experience – need to capture and share among businesses

• ebXML has a standard to specify Business Processes(BPSS) <BusinessTransaction name="Create� Order">

<RequestingBusinessActivity name=""

isNonRepudiationRequired="true"

timeToAcknowledgeReceipt="P2D"�

timeToAcknowledgeAcceptance="P3D">�

<DocumentEnvelope� BusinessDocument="Purchase� Order"/>

</RequestingBusinessActivity>

<RespondingBusinessActivity name=""�

isNonRepudiationRequired="true"

timeToAcknowledgeReceipt="P5D">

<DocumentEnvelope� isPositiveResponse="true"

BusinessDocument="PO� Acknowledgement"/>

</RespondingBusinessActivity>

</BusinessTransaction>

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Our MissionOur Mission

To transfer R & D output & expertise to end users and the industry

David Cheung, CECID/HKU 21

ITF Project ITF Project ––Establishment of an Establishment of an ebXMLebXML Software Software

Infrastructure in Hong KongInfrastructure in Hong Kong

Funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission

(Jan 2002 – Dec 2003)

Project Coordinator : Dr. Francis Lau Principal Investigator : Dr. David Cheung

Project Manager : Mr. Thomas Lee

Amount : HK $9.5M from ITF

Total Funding : $10.7M

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CollaboratorsCollaborators

MTR Corporation Limited

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited

Saggio (Asia Pacific) Company Limited

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

Hong Kong Article Numbering Association

E1 Media Technology Limited

IBM China/Hong Kong Limited

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Project DeliverablesProject Deliverables

1. ebXML infrastructure products

2. ebXML tools for SMEs

3. Pilots to demonstrate the value of the technology

4. Transfer the technology to end users & industry partners

5. Educate the community on plus & minus

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MTRC MTRC eProcurementeProcurement PilotPilot

MTRC procures office supplies from Saggio on its web site (SaggioDirect.com)Before : MTRC receives paper delivery notes, invoices and statements from Saggio, and manually

enters data in its accounting systemreconciles invoices and statements

After : e-docs (XML) is sent to MTRC with Hermes (ebXML) automatically

no data re-entry; automated reconciliationsupport procurement data analysis & processing

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SaggioDirect System

Web Server

Hermes

Workstations

MTRC Intranet System

MTRC Users

XML document

Internet

Extract datafrom XML document

XML document

Saggio Logistics Delivery goods

Hermes

IntranetServer

Value-addedservices

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MTRC MTRC eProcurementeProcurement PilotPilot

UAT completed; will go production in Q2/03; from 4 units to 16 units to 200+ units

Experience transfer to SIs through guidelines and sharing of experience

B2B integration could lead to business process re-engineering

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Dangerous Goods Manifest PilotDangerous Goods Manifest Pilot

A shipping company should submit a

Dangerous Goods (DG) Manifest 48 hours

before the arrival of the vessel

Before: Paper-based and Web-based submission

After: Machine-to-machine direct submission

Pilot participants : Marine Dept; OOCL; APL;

ITSD

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ShippingAgentsShippingAgents Paper submission

Web submissionInternet

XML submissionebXML Message Service

over HTTPS on VPN

HermesMSH

HermesMSH

1

2

3

Marine Dept

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Dangerous Goods Manifest PilotDangerous Goods Manifest PilotConvert the International Marine Organization recommendation (in text) into an XML standard schema for dangerous goods declaration (adopted UN/CEFACT)Production will involve OOCL & APL (Q2/2003)Transferring schema design skill to the community through collaboration with ITSDPlan to extend to all shipping companies (include SMEs)Plan to extend to other document submissions

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Health Department PilotHealth Department Pilot

A prototype for pharmaceutical product import/export license application with Hermes and ebMail

Participants: Health Dept & ITSD of HK GovtBefore: pharm co’s submit app and obtain license in person (two trips to HD)After: pharm co’s submit app through ebMail (ebXML) and obtain license in person

Save one trip and shorten processing timeValue :

standardization of health/patient informationadopt this technology in other health information systems

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Internet HermesMSH

License application

Manual entry mode through ebMail

Message generation mode

HealthDept

HealthDept

PharmCo

PharmCo

Application receipt

License pre-approval / rejection

HermesMSH

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World Weather Information ServiceWorld Weather Information ServiceBy The World Meteorological Organizationthrough Hong Kong Observatory

a UN agency with 185 members of states and territoriesto publish official weather information of the whole world (daily ?)Currently collect weather information through Website and text email

Not workable for developing countriesWebsite: too slow Text email: need manual data input and data validation & verification

Developed an ebMail application for collecting weather information

Provide a GUI form to collect information in XML and email the XML document to HKOMust be lightweight to support low-end machinesHKO management has committed budget to hire a HKU summer intern to build plug-in to use ebMail

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How Hermes realize How Hermes realize ebMSebMS

Hermes is an implementation of ebMS specification version 2.0Hermes is a first open-source product with RDBMS persistence supportIt was first released on www.freebxml.org on 13 Sep, 2002Current stable version v0.9.3.0v0.9.3.0 has just passed an interoperability test among 5 Asia regions with 13 vendors

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Mean Features of HermesMean Features of Hermes

Hermes supports HTTP(S) and SMTPHermes supports 2 message delivery mode

Best-effortOnce-and-only-once

Reliable Messagingpersistence handlingduplicate eliminationerror notification acknowledgment retry

Supports PKI

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Hermes ArchitectureHermes Architecture

Hermes is divided into two halvesServer component

• Java servlet• Communication endpoints

Client component• Java objects• Actual ebXML message handler

Cope with firewallsHermes connection endpoints are outside the firewall (server component)Application receives ebXML message is inside the firewall (client component)

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Basic Deployment DiagramBasic Deployment Diagram

HermesMessage Gateway(Application Server

+Persistence Storage)

Application(Document Processor)

FirewallFirewall

Business Data(Database Server)

Internet

DMZ

Front-end data processing(Desktop PC)

Internal LAN

Back-end Systems

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Deployment Arch Deployment Arch –– Sync ModeSync Mode

Persistent Storage

Application Server

Application

Hermes MSH Stub Poller

DB

InternetHermes MSHServlets

Reg Send Callback

Reg

Send

Poll

Firewall

Mail Server

Firewall

Document Processor

DataProcessHandler

DataPackageHandler

ErrorRecoverHandler

FileSystem

Errorlog

Applicationlog

Messagearchive msh log

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Async Async ModeMode

Application Server

Application

Hermes MSH Stub

InternetHermes MSHServlets

Reg Send

Reg

Send

Rec

Firewall

Mail Server

Firewall

Document Processor

DataProcessHandler

DataPackageHandler

ErrorRecoverHandler

FileSystem

Errorlog

Applicationlog

Messagearchive msh log

Retrieve

PersistentStorage

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Hermes Communication ModelHermes Communication Model

ebXMLover

HTTPS

ebXMLoverSMTP

Users/Applications

Corporate Boundary

MessagingMechanism

Back-endSystems

DTTNSwitch

Hermes

ebMailWeb

Server

Corp. SME

Hermes

ebXMLover

HTTPS

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ebXML vs ebXML vs WSWSBased on similar technology but different purposes

Web Services – use basic SOAP packagingebXML – use SOAP with extensionWhy ? – to transfer parameter values vs transfer documents

Provide different paradigmsWeb Services (service based) – to expose applications on the Web so that anyone can call it from anywhereebXML (contract based) – for parties to exchange well defined documents (schema) via agreed business process

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ebXML vs ebXML vs WSWSWeb Services (basic web services) –

tightly coupled to backend implementationloosely coupled with the callers - no fixed model on how the callers will use the servicesmoderate reliability support (will be resolved by WS-RM)good for dynamic integration

ebXML (collaborative web services) –tightly coupled with the documents (schema) and business process agreed between partiesloosely coupled with the backend systems – as long as they can generate the documentssolid reliability support (once-and-only-once)good for B2B exchange

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ebXMLebXML And WS IntegrationAnd WS Integration

ebXML

Users

Corporate Boundary

Corp. SME

Central Gateway

Hermes

Web ServicesInterface

Web Services Web Services

Accounting System

Web ServicesWeb Services Web ServicesWeb Services

DeliverySystem

PurchasingSystem

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What have we learnt ?What have we learnt ?ebXML is useful in developing “contract-based” standardized B2B exchange – value proven in the pilotsAdding standard business process on top of messaging is easyNeed a good XML Schema design

the schema need to be concise enough to support the current applicationto support future extensionto support software library generation for data conversion

ebXML and Basic Web Services serve complementary purpose

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Corporate Users in Hong KongCorporate Users in Hong KongMTRC

Saggio

APL (US)

OOCL

Marine Department

Health Department

ITSD

HKANA(Multi-National-Corp1)(MNC2)ASLICONew Modern Technology………………………………..

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Open Source

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Active Users of Hermes outside Active Users of Hermes outside Hong KongHong Kong

2300+ downloads recorded from 36+ countriesSupplysolution - provide supply chain solutions with offices in California, Michigan and Germany

(http://www.supplysolution.com)

TIE Holdings, the Netherlands – a listed company on Amsterdam stock market with offices in Netherlands, France, Belgium & US, specialized in b2b software, (http://www.tieglobal.com)

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Active Users of Hermes outside Active Users of Hermes outside Hong KongHong Kong

Zenplex – offer B2B applications for the Printing/Publishing industry, office in New York (http://www.zenplex.com)

Valtech – a global business consulting company listed in France stock market (http://www.valtech.com)

UAEexchange – a financial company in United Arab Emeritus (http://www.uaeexchange.com)

Crimsonlogic – a large service provider and solution developer (http://www.crimsonlogic.com)

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Quality of our product ?Quality of our product ?Asia Interoperability Test – Quality Certification

Hong Kong: CECID

Japan: NEC, Fujitsu, Sun Microsystems, Hitachi, NTT Data, Infoteria

Korea: Samsung SDS, Innodigital, KTNET, POSDATA

Singapore: CrimsonLogic

China: SKLSE

Taiwan: GCOM

• CECID’s Hermes is a proven product• support is available in the market

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DTTN & DTTN & ebXMLebXML

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Interoperability FrameworkInteroperability Framework

Purpose : to support interoperability in

joined-up services (G2G & e-Gov)

Key : common XML data schema

XML Schema Design and Management

Guideline – XML Coordination Group

To fulfill one of the three dimensions

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Our R& D ModelOur R& D Model

R&DR&DProductsProducts

Pilot Pilot ProjectsProjects

ebXMLebXMLProjectProject

EndEndUsersUsers

Production Production Deployments / Deployments / SIsSIs

HK LeadHK LeadProjects / Projects / SIsSIs

FreebXMLFreebXML.org.org

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Thank YouThank You

DemoDemo

andand

Q & AQ & A