Abstracts of Magazine FUJITSU 2002-5 (VOL.53, NO.3)

Special Issue : XML

• XML/Web Services Bring about a New World

The recent installation of broadband network infrastructures has reduced data transaction costs, and at the same time the introduction of XML/Web Services has made collaborative business processes easier. Both of these developments have greatly affected enterprises' strategies and paradigms for collaboration. Now, enterprises must focus more than ever on their core competencies and on building strategic partnerships. This paper outlines how Internet services will be changed by XML/Web Services technology. Next, it describes the nature of the Function Market. This is one of Fujitsu's key concepts for understanding the changes described above. The paper also discusses how the industry will transition to a Function Market, and how these changes will impact system integration methodology and enterprise management strategy. Finally, we describe the challenges and prospects of XML/Web Services.

• Latest XML Trends in Business Frontiers -XML Usage in Business with Case Analyses-

The Extensible Markup Language (XML), which has a simple structure and is marked up with tags, is being widely used in applications ranging from data exchange between companies to Web contents of cellular phones. XML first appeared on the stage as a document management tool. Now, its range of application is being extended to include data exchange. This paper describes the fields and usage of XML-based systems in companies, describes the advantages of using XML, and looks at future XML trends.

• Trends of XML-Based Business Protocols

XML-based technologies such as the Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML) and Web services have been rapidly standardized as mechanisms for easily and dynamically integrating business processes between enterprises. ebXML is a joint project sponsored by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). The ebXML standard architecture and technologies for business-to-business collaboration systems are currently being developed. On the other hand, concerning Web services, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and other organizations have standardized distributed object bases on the Internet. ebXML and Web services have their own backgrounds, but similar technology elements such as a messaging system, a business registry, and interface definitions are being standardized. These standardization activities should be performed through mutual cooperation. This paper outlines the history of ebXML and Web services and the trends of their technology elements, including security.

• XML System Development Tools

Because XML is one of the most extensible data expressions, it is being used in more and more new business applications. There are three main application fields of XML: electronic commerce, Web-services, and user-interface-oriented applications. An XML system is composed of two parts. One part is the external interface part for sending and receiving XML data. The other part is the internal business processing part for checking the received XML data and storing it in databases. These two parts require different development support tools. The tools for developing the external interface depend on the purpose of the system to be developed. For example, the tools for developing electronic commerce must support the transaction protocol that the related companies have agreed to use. The tools for developing Web services must be able to create an open interface for supplying high-quality service functions to business. On the other hand, to develop the internal business processing part, various techniques for creating structure patterns and processing patterns are necessary and various tools for increasing development productivity must be prepared. In this paper, we describe some representative Fujitsu tools for supporting XML system development.

• Fujitsu's XML Middleware Products

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is the most fundamental of the data formats used for data exchange between enterprises. This paper summarizes how XML is supported by Fujitsu's core middleware products such as INTERSTAGE (high-performance, high-reliability communication middleware) and SymfoWARE (high-performance, high-reliability relational database). INTERSTAGE supports not only XML standards such as ebXML and RosettaNet, but also format conversion between a conventional format, for example, the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format, and XML to enable processes to be integrated smoothly between enterprises. SymfoWARE provides an XML storage feature (XML adapter) for managing and searching XML data to enable data to be exchanged easily between internal and external systems. SymfoWARE uses the Structured Query Language (SQL) and can manage XML data while maintaining the original capabilities of a relational database, for example, maintaining data integrity and data recovery.

• Applying XML to In-House Systems -Practical Use of RosettaNet, and a Sales Support System-

As a pioneer in the IT industry, the Fujitsu group has long been developing advanced platforms and services for all fields of enterprise, including XML applications for various systems and in-house operations. This paper describes some examples of how RosettaNet is used by Fujitsu purchasing departments and sales departments. The paper also describes the application of XML to "System-Config", which is a dedicated system used by Fujitsu sales departments and partner companies of Fujitsu for estimating and ordering Fujitsu products.

• Advanced Usage of XML in Electronic Government Systems

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is positioned as a data format in B2G, C2G, and G2G activities for the "Digitization of administration and other public areas," which is one of the five basic slogans of the e-Japan Priority Policy Program promoted by the Japanese Government. XML is used in electronic government in Japan in various ways, especially, it is being used effectively in the electronic application/notification system. This paper describes some examples of XML application and their effects in electronic government systems. To advance the electronic government, a comprehensive document management system must be installed and linked with other existing government systems. This paper describes how XML can be applied so that a comprehensive document management system can be used effectively. This paper also describes how Fujitsu's XML-based solutions will contribute to the development of electronic government systems.

• Implementing XML in the Finance Industry

In the finance industry, new business models are being promoted in response to changes that have occurred in the management environment, for example, deregulation and globalization. At the same time, the growing rate of Internet access is changing business-customer relationships, widening the activity spheres of companies, and bringing other important changes to financial activities. The Extensible Markup Language (XML), which is, among other things, expected to become a key technology of financial systems, is dramatically changing the framework of information systems around the world. This paper describes the current trend of XML development and the advantages this new language offers to financial service institutions. This paper also describes the groundbreaking work that Fujitsu is doing in the XML area and describes several practical applications of XML in financial business.

• Trade EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) for Electronic Trading Transactions and Processes
  -Present Situation and Future Vision-

Trade involves not only exporters and importers, but also banks, insurance companies, shipping agents, and other related companies. The TEDI (Trade EDI) Project was initiated to promote paperless trading (using XML documents) on open networks such as the Internet, and to construct associated legal structures. Fujitsu has served as the main systems integrator of the TEDI Consortium, which consists of more than 30 trading companies, supplied the basic software, and developed the core application software. This paper describes the characteristics and outline of the TEDI Project, and proposes a vision for the future.

• Digital Asset Management System for Newspaper Publishing Companies

In line with the progress of the infrastructure technologies, for example, the Internet, electronic publications have become as widespread as paper publications. Conventional paper publications and electronic publications through digital networks can be provided in multiple modes from the same source. This method of providing publications is called one-source multi-use and is one of the greatest challenges in today's printing industry. To achieve one-source multi-use, the existing publication production system must be reviewed fundamentally and a new system based on databases must be constructed. The system used to store and edit the text, photographs, charts, and other contents of a publication is called the Digital Asset Management System (DAM). Fujitsu has developed an XML-based DAM for newspaper publishing companies ahead of competing companies and has put it into practical use. This paper describes the technical background of the DAM's development and the effects of installing the system. It also gives an overview of the system and describes how it is implemented.

• Applications of XML to Location Based Services

The spread of mobile appliances such as cellular phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and the development of technology for measuring location by using GPS (Global Positioning System) or base station information have enabled the creation of Location Based Services (LBS). The NVML (NaVigation Markup Language) proposed by Fujitsu is an XML for describing locations and routes. In this paper, we introduce NVML as an example of XML for LBS, as well as systems and applications using NVML.

• New Trends in XML Technologies -Personalization Technology-

This paper gives an overview of Web Services and Semantic Web technologies, which are new XML technologies that are receiving wide attention. Current Internet activity is focusing on helping humans access content and on automating simple processing between machines. We need a mechanism that enables users to interact with machines more intimately and flexibly. To meet these goals, it is important to integrate users, contents, and services into a unified metadata with XML technologies and to create middleware that provides personalized one-stop services. In this paper, we introduce these new XML technologies and the XML standardization activities. Then, we describe the advanced XML R&D being carried out at the Fujitsu laboratories and its future direction.

• Financial Branch System Based on Java/CORBA

After the liberalization of financial markets in Japan, financial processing systems have faced various problems, for example, how to diversify business, expand delivery channels, and decrease the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to improve the efficiency of management. Ahead of its competitors, Fujitsu has started offering a solution to these problems in the form of a new software package called Financial Business Components (FBC). FBC resolves the diverse problems listed above by using Java/CORBA technology, Web technology, and other technologies and also satisfies requirements specific to financial branch systems such as control of financial input/output devices (financial IO), assurance of high responses, and high reliability. This paper describes the features of FBC and how we approached the above problems during its development.