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Emerging Middleware Technologies

2004-6 (Vol.40, No.1)

This special issue introduces the Middleware such as Interstage, Symfoware, and Systemwalker that forms the spine of TRIOLE, which is Fujitsu's IT infrastructure for providing stable services in today's changing business environment.

2004-6 (Vol.40, No.1) Contents

1. Preface (22 KB): Our customers' expectations and viewpoints about their IT investments are shifting emphasis from whether they improve business efficiency to whether they are aggressive and effective tools for expanding business. Furthermore, our customers' ideas have deepened and become much more oriented towards the coming ubiquitous computing age. Middleware plays very important roles in meeting these needs. ---[Yoshiyuki Tanakura, Corporate Vice President, Group President, Software Group]

TRIOLE

2. Efforts Toward Automation Using TRIOLE (100 KB): In today's wildly changing business environment, IT systems must be quickly developed, reliable, stable, and less costly to operate and maintain. Fujitsu's TRIOLE IT infrastructure answers these needs. The core technology for automation of TRIOLE is an autonomous control system. This paper first describes the goals of TRIOLE. Next, it describes the control mechanism for automation, the process loop for autonomous control, and the autonomous sequences of TRIOLE's autonomous control system. Finally, this paper describes future migrations for realizing automation. ---[Kazuo Hajikano, Toshihiko Hirabayashi]

Upper Layer Middleware

3. Business Process Management with Web-Service Integration Technology (122 KB): The rapid changes occurring in the business environment, for example, changes in global politics, economies, and production activities, require a new framework for building an IT infrastructure that enables real-time management. Business Process Management (BPM) is a new IT framework for visualizing, improving, and executing new or existing processes. Fujitsu has introduced Web-service integration technology for this new framework. This paper introduces Web-service integration technology. ---[Masahiro Nakagawa]

4. Expansion of EAI Technology (59 KB): These days, companies need information systems that can quickly adapt to the constantly changing business environment. One of the technologies for meeting this need is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). EAI can provide an infrastructure for promptly establishing a link between business applications according to a business process. However, to quickly respond to changes, it is first necessary to detect those changes by analyzing and evaluating business activities. Therefore, to realize an information system that can respond to changes more quickly, a new technology called Business Process Management (BPM) has been added to EAI so it can also be used to analyze and evaluate business activities. BPM is now the principal technology of EAI, and it is already being used in enterprise front-ends, which are heavily dependent on human workflows. ---[Haruo Makimoto]

5. Technology Requirements for Ubiquitous Environment and Fujitsu's Realtime Communicator Solution (71 KB): A broadband, low-cost communication infrastructure based on the Internet, hotspots, and wireless LAN environments is becoming a reality. Moreover, terminals such as cellular phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are evolving very quickly. Against this background, a ubiquitous environment that can be accessed at anytime and anywhere through various kinds of terminals is being constructed. However, because of the fast pace of change, it costs service providers a lot of time and money to provide high-quality services to users, and new technological developments are needed to solve this problem. This paper describes the technology requirements for achieving a ubiquitous environment and a Fujitsu middleware product called Realtime Communicator that can meet them. Then, this paper describes two typical applications of this middleware. ---[Kaoru Narumi, Masanobu Yuhara, Tatsuro Matsumoto]

6. Middleware for Ubiquitous and Seamless Computing Environments (93 KB): The wide distribution of the Internet and wireless communication technologies is creating ubiquitous environments in which many users can access a variety of services anytime and anywhere. In this paper, we describe middleware that provides users with seamless and ubiquitous environments for computing and communication. This middleware automatically provides users with the optimum computing and communication facilities for their current environments. We introduce three key technologies for realizing this middleware: seamless roaming, Mobile IP, and Plug-and-Service. ---[Morihisa Kawai, Ikuo Takekawa, Yuji Wada, Nobutsugu Fujino]

7. Enabling Technologies for CRM Solutions (217 KB): This paper describes research and development activities for enabling technologies for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. CRM is a set of business practices for an enterprise to establish, maintain, and improve good relationships with its customers. Fujitsu provides a variety of solutions for CRM. First, we present Fujitsu's vision of CRM and give an overview of our CRM activities from the viewpoints of products and solutions, middleware, and technology. Then, we describe technologies for automatic e-mail response (BroadChannel/Internet Contact) and the Intelligent Configurator (Interstage Configurator Recommendation), both of which are Fujitsu CRM products. Our CRM solutions are reinforced with advanced technologies such as natural language processing, combinatorial optimization, and machine learning. ---[Fumihiro Maruyama, Toyoaki Furusawa, Hajime Mikihara, Ryo Ochitani, Nobuhiro Yugami]

8. Early Detection of Changes Using Event Sequence Extractor (111 KB): Today's fast-changing business environment makes high demands on organizations for timely strategic decisions and business actions. If it was possible to analyze all the business events and promptly identify those conditions that require the attention of decision makers, the necessary adjustments and improvements could be made at the right time. In this paper, we present Event Sequence Extractor, which is our efficient solution for promptly detecting problematic sequences of business events that require action by decision makers. Event Sequence Extractor integrates the Interstage Navigator family of products, which provide faster Business Intelligence to enable decision-making in business process monitoring. The result is a more efficient and reliable business operation that leads to lower costs, protection from lost revenues, and a sustainable competitive advantage. ---[Koji Wakio, Toru Yoshibayashi, Naoki Akaboshi]

9. Enterprise Content Management with Interstage Contentbiz (80 KB): In today's competitive business climate, enterprises must be able to mange information effectively and efficiently. Enterprise content management systems are emerging as key tools for meeting these requirements. They can manage data throughout an entire enterprise as important information assets. Interstage Contentbiz is an enterprise content management product from Fujitsu that manages structured and unstructured data as content and can even integrate disparate, distributed data resources. ---[Matthias Bandorf, Tsuneichi Yoshizawa, Yuji Takada, Guenter Merbeth]

10. XBRL Processor "Interstage XWand" and Its Application Programs (103 KB): Interstage XWand is a middleware for Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) processes. The XBRL is an XML-based standard for describing financial data. It facilitates the creation, distribution, and reuse of business reports. This specification is organized and maintained by XBRL International. When XBRL is used, financial information can be smoothly shared and circulated among enterprises, financial control authorities, banks, and other users. This paper gives an overview of a Fujitsu middleware called Interstage XWand that reduces application development costs by processing the international standard XBRL documents used for describing financial information. Then, it describes the data models of Interstage XWand and how Interstage XWand is used. Lastly, it describes some of the new XBRL technology being developed to meet future processing needs. ---[Toshimitsu Suzuki]

Infrastructure Middleware

11. Autonomous Function in Interstage Application Server (58 KB): Because of the changing business environment, the ability to flexibly make configuration changes and expansions to enterprise information systems is becoming more important. Moreover, because of the large scale and complexity of modern systems, the importance of reducing the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) has also been increasing. There is therefore a need for functions that enable simple and flexible responses to changes. One such function is autonomic computing. This is a method of ensuring simple, easy, and optimal system operation through automatic system maintenance. This paper describes an approach to autonomic computing that uses an application execution environment middleware running on Fujitsu's Interstage Application Server. ---[Hideki Nozaki]

12. Latest Progress and Trends in Java/EJB Technologies (56 KB): Java is evolving into a full-scale system development technology by the addition of functions such as Applets, object-oriented programming, cross-platform support, internationalization, JavaBeans, Remote Method Invocation (RMI), Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), Java Plug-in, HotSpot Client Virtual Machine (VM), Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI), RMI/Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP), eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) support, and Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE). These functions have been added in three specifications: Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE); Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE); and Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME). Also, the manner in which these specifications are decided has shifted from decisions made by Sun Microsystems to decisions made by an open community through a process called the Java Community Process (JCP). The main key-phrase of the latest trend in Java/EJB is "Ease of Development," and J2SE 1.5 (code name "Tiger") will play a central role in this trend. Prospective enhancements in the Java programming language specifications such as Generics, Enhanced for Loop, Autoboxing/Unboxing, Typesafe Enums, Varargs, Static Import, and Metadata are expected to simplify system development, learning, and mastering. With these new technologies, Java will be used by a wider range of developers and EJB-based development of enterprise systems will become more popular. ---[Sumio Tasaka, Jun Ginbayashi]

13. New Web Application Development Tool and Its MDA-Based Support Methodology (88 KB): Web applications are ubiquitous on the Internet, and almost every type of business now needs to be able to quickly develop their own Web applications. This paper introduces a technology developed by Fujitsu that reduces the development period for Web applications and also improves their quality. The paper discusses a development style that enables iterative refinement of a specification and specification checking with customers. ---[Yasuyuki Fujikawa, Takahide Matsutsuka]

14. Framework of Web Applications for Protection against Illegal Access (77 KB): The use of Web-based application servers has recently expanded worldwide. Consequently, there is a growing threat of illegal computer access to applications. Security measures are now being implemented for applications that incorporate security logic in addition to business logic. This paper introduces a framework that protects against illegal computer access to application servers, thereby minimizing the corrections that must be made on the application side and protecting against illegal computer access. ---[Satoru Torii, Yoshiki Higashikado, Takayoshi Kurita]

15. High-Speed Information Utilization Technologies Adopted by Interstage Shunsaku Data Manager (105 KB): The current business environment is characterized by many difficulties, including ongoing economic stagnation, fierce competition, and rapid staff turnover. The key to business survival is to gather as much information as possible, to utilize it as effectively as possible, and to be able to tie this information to business operations. However, at present the data integration and management technologies for utilizing a diverse range of business information are still incomplete. While attempting to find a solution to this problem, our attention was drawn to XML, and we developed Interstage Shunsaku Data Manager-an XML database engine that achieves high-speed searches of XML data. This paper explains the features of Interstage Shunsaku Data Manager and the high-speed information utilization technologies that it employs. ---[Hiroya Hayashi]

16. Combining Fujitsu's High-Performance, High-Reliability DBMS Technology with Open Source DBMSs (72 KB): There is an increasing demand for highly dependable, low-cost information systems, and the open source operating system Linux is gaining attention as a way of meeting this demand. Also, the database management system (DBMS) market has shown growing interest in open source DBMS technology due to its suitability for producing easy-to-build systems at low cost. From the point of view of performance and reliability, however, open source DBMSs lag behind their proprietary rivals. One way of meeting this market demand for an inexpensive, easy-to-build DBMS that nevertheless offers high performance and high reliability is to combine the open source DBMS PostgreSQL with the proprietary DBMS Symfoware Server in such a way as to exploit the advantages of both systems. ---[Takayuki Nakazawa, Naohiro Ito, Jo Ajisawa]

System Management

17. Resource Management (295 KB): IT systems have expanded along with the development and diffusion of Web-based systems. The demand for IT-based business solutions has increased throughout the business world. To meet the increasing customer demand and the need to cut operating expenses, Fujitsu Systemwalker Resource Coordinator (hereafter Resource Coordinator) offers a comprehensive software solution designed to help companies increase their productivity and efficiently manage resources such as servers, storage, networks, and software products in an entire platform. Also, Resource Coordinator supports stable, reliable operation and reduces the load on system administrators when they determine the causes and possible solutions to problems. Furthermore, Resource Coordinator provides system-wide autonomous control systems and an automatic recovery function and ensures reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This paper outlines the Resource Coordinator development policy, a broad array of advanced technologies, and our efforts to provide our customers with systems based on TRIOLE, Fujitsu's IT infrastructure platform concept. ---[Tetsuhiro Hirao, Toshihiro Abe]

18. Management of Enterprise Quality of Service (55 KB): Service level agreements (SLAs) are commonly used to ensure the quality of service (QoS). With the advent of Grid and on-demand computing, QoS management promises to become business-critical. Fujitsu is at the forefront of the industry's QoS management development and standardization efforts. This paper presents some new QoS concepts and techniques, introduces Fujitsu's latest QoS management product—Systemwalker Service Quality Coordinator (SSQC)—and discusses the Application Quality/Resource Management (AQRM) Initiative of The Open Group. ---[Koji Ishibashi, Mikhail Tsykin]

19. New Management Technologies for Blade Servers (67 KB): Blade servers make it possible to accommodate a large number of servers and switches in one chassis at high density. To operate a large number of servers in a highly reliable and cost effective way, the concept of provisioning is important. Provisioning means preparing bare-metal servers in a server pool that can be shared by several business systems in order to provide servers quickly. To realize provisioning, virtualization technologies such as configuration management, pool management, and automation are necessary. This paper introduces the management technologies for efficiently and reliably operating blade servers that are provided by Systemwalker Resource Coordinator, Fujitsu's provisioning software product. It also introduces future technologies for performing autonomic provisioning in which an IT system reconstructs itself organically. ---[Akira Tsuneya]

20. Application-Oriented Storage Resource Management (395 KB): Storage Area Networks (SANs) have spread rapidly, and they help customers make use of large-capacity storage resources. Many software products have been developed so that complex SANs can be managed easily and effectively. However, these products are not enough to ensure the service levels of storage resources required by applications. This is because they only provide functionality for managing storage resources from the hardware point of view (e.g., the SAN topology) and it is difficult for administrators to understand the relationships between applications on servers and storage resources when only these products are used. This paper describes a Fujitsu storage management solution called application-oriented storage resource management that not only has the functionality of traditional SAN management but also maintains the logical relationships between storage resources and applications on servers. This management solution provides highly stable and reliable network storage environments. ---[Sawao Iwatani]

Other Technologies

21. IPv4/IPv6 Translation Technology (178 KB): The ubiquitous network society in which anyone can connect to the Internet and enjoy services anytime, anywhere, and with any type of terminal is evolving at an increasing tempo. This evolution is proceeding together with the progress being made in high-speed broadband networks and the introduction of various types of information equipment such as mobile computers and electrical information appliances. The ubiquitous network society requires that the IPv6 network (or next-generation Internet Protocol), with its vast address space, be adapted as part of the infrastructure, because the IPv4 network currently used by the Internet cannot provide sufficient support. However, it is not practical to reconstruct the huge user properties built into the IPv4 network for migration to the IPv6 network. Migration to IPv6 involves two technical subjects: IPv4/IPv6 translation technology and gateway construction technology. IPv4/IPv6 translation technology involves address mapping between IPv4 and IPv6, and the methods used to translate protocols. Gateway construction technology involves reserving the necessary scalability and ensuring the required reliability. This paper describes an IPv4/IPv6 translation technology that fully utilizes the user properties built into the existing IPv4 network without any changes and standardizes new services on the IPv6 network that are compatible with the next-generation Internet. This paper also describes our newly developed IPv4/IPv6 address translator, application level gateway, and high-reliability technologies. ---[Masaki Nakajima, Nobumasu Kobayashi]

22. Online Handwriting Recognition Technology and Its Applications (157 KB): This paper describes Fujitsu's online handwritten character recognition (OLCR) technology and some application software that adopts this technology. Fujitsu's Japanese OLCR has the highest level of performance among Japanese OLCRs and is based on two of our unique character recognition technologies: hybrid character recognition and bigram-based context processing. To realize more effective and practical handwriting interfaces, we have developed additional OLCR techniques such as hybrid adaptation, predictive handwriting recognition, and box-free handwritten string recognition. Several software products, including Japanist 2003 and Japanist for Pocket PC, have adopted this technology. This technology is also used by the standard handwriting recognition engine in FMV-STYLISTIC, which is one of Fujitsu's Tablet PCs. In one experiment, our OLCR technology achieved a 94.6% recognition accuracy for Japanese text compared to other software available on the market, which achieved an accuracy of only 82 to 88%. ---[Hiroshi Tanaka, Naomi Iwayama, Katsuhiko Akiyama]

23. Technologies for Voice Portal Platform (77 KB): The voice user interface is an important tool for realizing natural, easy-to-use human-computer interfaces that can bridge the digital-divide. This paper gives an overview of voice interface applications and information access systems that operate over a telephone network. It also introduces some voice portal solutions that use speech recognition/synthesis and dialogue control and outlines the speech processing technologies used in voice portal solutions. The developers of a voice portal system must understand the characteristics of speech and ensure that the speech recognition part can cope with interjections, background noise, and the distortions caused by telephone lines. Speech synthesis produces natural speech and other speech styles by using a corpus-based method and automatically constructing a waveform database. The information services of municipal offices, traffic information services, stock price services, and so on are widely expected to incorporate voice portal systems in the near future. ---[Yasushi Yamazaki, Hitoshi Iwamida, Kazuhiro Watanabe]

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