Interoperability Middleware for Federated Business Services in Web-Pilarcos

Abstract

{Lea.KutvonenIToni.RuokolainenIJanne.Metso)@cs.helsinki.fi Participation in electronic business networks has become necessary for the success of enterprises. The strategic business needs for participating multiple networks simultaneously and for managing changes in these networks are reflected as new requirements for the supporting computing facilities. The web-Pilarcos architecture addresses the needs of managed collaboration and interoperability of autonomous business services in an inter-organisational context. The web-Pilarcos B2B middleware is designed for lowering the cost of colIaboration establishment and to facilitate management and maintenance of electronic business networks. The approach is a federated one: All business services are developed independently, and the B2B middleware services are used to ensure that technical, semantic, and pragmatic interoperability is maintained in the business network. In the architecture and middleware functionality design, attention has been given to the dynamic aspects and evolution of the network. This paper discusses the concepts provided for application and business network creators, and the supporting middleware-level knowledge repositories for interoperability support.

Managing interoperability knowledge in open service ecosystems

“…Collaborations are formed using a collaboration establishment process which involves service selection, and collaboration population and negotiation phases [1], as illustrated in Figure 1.…”

“…In our previous work (see [1], [3], for example) we have described the Pilarcos platform for interoperability management. The consistency of the interoperability knowledge has been maintained in this prototype platform by manually implemented repository functionality, collaboration establishment protocols and best practices shared by the system users.…”

“…Section II first identifies the fundamental elements and characteristics of collaborative computing environments, and introduces the Pilarcos platform [1], [3]. In Section III we provide a metamodel defining the conceptual framework we use for establishing a service ecosystem based on the Pilarcos platform.…”

“…We characterize interoperability as having technical, semantic and pragmatic concerns [1]. Technical interoperability means that the technological facilities underlying the services are compatible, such that communication paths can be established, for example.…”

“…We categorize the means for achieving interoperation to three approaches, namely integration, unification and federation [1]. Since integration and unification approaches do not preserve all relevant information about interoperation [2], features related to interoperation can not in these approaches be considered dynamically.…”