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XML - A Premier B2B Enabling Technology : Hype or Reality?

Leslie BeckfordLeslie Beckford

DPS Spring 2001DPS Spring 2001

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Introduction

The purpose of my presentation is to discuss The purpose of my presentation is to discuss the pros and cons of using XML as an the pros and cons of using XML as an enabling technology for B2B(e-business) enabling technology for B2B(e-business)

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Outline

XML – a brief Historical overview XML – a brief Historical overview XML Sister XML Sister Technologies Technologies Major uses for XMLMajor uses for XMLXML and B2CXML and B2CXML and B2BXML and B2BWhy is B2B different from B2CWhy is B2B different from B2CWhat challenges are unique to B2BWhat challenges are unique to B2BImportant Characteristics of all B2B sitesImportant Characteristics of all B2B sitesXML’s impact on PerformanceXML’s impact on Performance

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XML: an Historical Overview

SGML was originally created by IBM in the sixtiesSGML was originally created by IBM in the sixties

SGML was very useful but extremely complexSGML was very useful but extremely complex

HTML was created as an answer to SGML’s complexityHTML was created as an answer to SGML’s complexity

HTML was found to be extremely limited in capabilitiesHTML was found to be extremely limited in capabilities

XML was created as an answer to HTML’s inefficienciesXML was created as an answer to HTML’s inefficiencies  

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XML: an Historical OverviewThe following are the original design goals (1998) for XML:The following are the original design goals (1998) for XML:

““XML shall be straightforwardly usable over the Internet XML shall be straightforwardly usable over the Internet XML shall support a wide variety of applications XML shall support a wide variety of applications XML shall be compatible with SGML XML shall be compatible with SGML It shall be easy to write programs which process XML documents It shall be easy to write programs which process XML documents The number of optimal features in XML is to be kept to the absolute The number of optimal features in XML is to be kept to the absolute

minimumminimum The XML design should be prepared quickly The XML design should be prepared quickly The design of XML shall be formal and concise The design of XML shall be formal and concise XML documents shall be easy to create XML documents shall be easy to create Terseness in XML markup is of minimal importanceTerseness in XML markup is of minimal importance

””

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XML – Specifications and Associated Technologies

Specifications that make-up the XML suite of technologies include: Specifications that make-up the XML suite of technologies include:

XSL:XSL: used to specify the presentation style of an XML document.   used to specify the presentation style of an XML document.  

XSLTXSLT:: a language for transforming XML documents a language for transforming XML documents

XPATHXPATH:: a language for addressing or selecting specific portions of an XML a language for addressing or selecting specific portions of an XML document. It has been designed to be used by both XSLT and XPointer.document. It has been designed to be used by both XSLT and XPointer.

XPOINTERXPOINTER:: used for providing links between XML documents used for providing links between XML documents

DTD:DTD: used to specify data structure used to specify data structure

(does not support data-type specification). (does not support data-type specification).

SCHEMAS:SCHEMAS: used to specify data structureused to specify data structure

(supports data-type specification). Other known Schemas: (supports data-type specification). Other known Schemas: SOX, XDR, DSDSOX, XDR, DSD

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XML – Specifications and Associated Technologies

Messaging Protocols : XML-RPC, SOAP Application Programming Interfaces(API’s)DOM: used for structure validation ( tree based - multi access memory approach).

SAX: used for structure validation ( event based - sequential access approach).  Supporting Tools Parsers: Non-Validating and Validating   Processors Publishing frameworks

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XML Is No Longer What It’s Designers Envisioned!

XML is the root of all those three and four letter acronyms. XML is the root of all those three and four letter acronyms. XML itself defines the core language and provides a XML itself defines the core language and provides a meta-data- type framework. meta-data- type framework.

XML by it-self is of limited value; it defines only that XML by it-self is of limited value; it defines only that framework. However, all the various technologies that framework. However, all the various technologies that supports XML, provide developers and content managers supports XML, provide developers and content managers unprecedented flexibility in data management and unprecedented flexibility in data management and transmission.transmission.

Indeed, XML is no longer a simple lightweight markup Indeed, XML is no longer a simple lightweight markup language. It has grown in complexity!language. It has grown in complexity!

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Major Uses For XML

XML for Presentation:The most popular use for XML is to create a separation of content and

presentation.

XML for Communication: XML-RPC, B2BXML document can be used to transfer information between applications.

XML for ConfigurationXML-RPC is concerned with communication not between applications, but between components within an application, or to a shared set of services functioning across applications.

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XML’s Role In B2C B2C (also known as E-Commerce) -B2C (also known as E-Commerce) - is the sale of products is the sale of products

and services to customers over the Internet.and services to customers over the Internet. B2C is now relatively easy to implement. There are many B2C is now relatively easy to implement. There are many

software products and solutions that enable catalogues to be software products and solutions that enable catalogues to be incorporated into web sites for purchase of products over the incorporated into web sites for purchase of products over the Internet by consumers.  Internet by consumers.  

B2C clientsB2C clients run browsers, communicating over HTTP/HTTPS. run browsers, communicating over HTTP/HTTPS. Error rates are usually low because orders are often keyed in by Error rates are usually low because orders are often keyed in by

actual people who can check for mistakes.actual people who can check for mistakes. XML is used largely for data presentation in this modelXML is used largely for data presentation in this model

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XML’s Role In B2B"The human-to-machine interaction paradigm works well in the B2C space,"

"The payoff of a human sitting in front of a browser, however, is very limited for B2B applications."

Companies operating under the B2B model not only sells products online (e Commerce), but also links those sales tightly to its back-end systems and third party vendors for order processing and delivery fulfillment.

One of the best-known example of an e-business is that of Amazon.com.

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XML’s Role In B2B

Amazon has succeeded by building a closely linked B2B value chain for acceptance of orders online and delivery to its customers wherever they are located, worldwide.

Amazon is very different from most established businesses, Amazon had no legacy systems that first had to be changed for this new Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales environment.

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XML’s Role In B2BMost businesses are not like Amazon.

They have existing processes and systems for order entry, credit control, invoicing, inventory and delivery.

Many of these systems are old but are still functioning well for the sales environment they were designed for.

The latest systems may be considered “legacy” if they cannot easily be changed to encompass B2C and B2B business via the Internet.

This is where XML can offer great benefits:XML for Communication: XML-RPC, B2B

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Important Characteristics of B2B Sites

Scalability:Scalability: The capability of a system to adapt readily to a greater or The capability of a system to adapt readily to a greater or lesser intensity of use, volume, or demand while still meeting its lesser intensity of use, volume, or demand while still meeting its business objectives (acceptable levels of performance, availability, business objectives (acceptable levels of performance, availability, manageability etc )manageability etc )

  

Fault-Tolerance:Fault-Tolerance: They're always up, because their fault-tolerant They're always up, because their fault-tolerant architecture is redundant in hardware and software. architecture is redundant in hardware and software.

Capacity:Capacity: How many transactions can a system complete in a specified How many transactions can a system complete in a specified unit of time.unit of time.

Performance:Performance: How long does it take to get a response to a request from How long does it take to get a response to a request from the system.the system.

Security:Security: Authentication, Integrity, Non- Repudiation, Regulations.Authentication, Integrity, Non- Repudiation, Regulations.

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XML’s Impact On B2B Site CharacteristicsThree B2B site characteristics can be seriously affected by XML:

Capacity: XML’s textual representation requires more disk / ram than compiled code and data (Binary)

When structure is added to the XML representation via DTD or Schema, this problem becomes even worse

Performance: Performance is affected mostly due to the requirement to Parse and Process XML documents.

Security: Work is only now beginning in this area.

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XML’s Impact On B2B Site Characteristics

Tools for manipulating data within XML documentsTools for manipulating data within XML documentsAPI’s:API’s:

SAX: SAX: EEvent based, sequential access, semi-efficient

DOM: DOM: TTree based, multi access, memory intensive

ParsersParsersDTD: Structure Validation DTD: Structure Validation Schema: Structure and Content ValidationSchema: Structure and Content Validation

Tools for transforming and presenting XML docsTools for transforming and presenting XML docsProcessorsProcessors

XSL - XSL - used to specify presentation style used to specify presentation style XSLT – transforms one XML document into anotherXSLT – transforms one XML document into another

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Data Specification and Validation

Data specification and validation a major Requirement for businessData specification and validation a major Requirement for business

Tools for data modelingTools for data modelingDTD’s:DTD’s: used to specify data structure used to specify data structure (does not support data-type specification). (does not support data-type specification).

SCHEMAS:SCHEMAS: used to specify data structureused to specify data structure(supports data-type specification). (supports data-type specification).

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The Standards Problem

The complexity of XML has increased tremendously.The complexity of XML has increased tremendously.

Numerous companies, groups and organizations (belonging to Numerous companies, groups and organizations (belonging to both vertical and horizontal industries) are working both vertical and horizontal industries) are working independently and sometimes collectively, to define the independently and sometimes collectively, to define the meaning of their businesses.meaning of their businesses.

As a consequence, many dialects of XML schemas and DTD’s As a consequence, many dialects of XML schemas and DTD’s have been created. have been created.

Because standards are not stable, performance tuning is Because standards are not stable, performance tuning is difficult.difficult.

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What This Means   Without question, B2B site characteristics can be seriously Without question, B2B site characteristics can be seriously

impacted by XML.impacted by XML.

While considerable, this shouldn't be used as an argument to While considerable, this shouldn't be used as an argument to dismiss XML. dismiss XML.

By knowing the issues surrounding core XML technologies, it's By knowing the issues surrounding core XML technologies, it's possible to design, construct, implement and subsequently possible to design, construct, implement and subsequently balance performance and scalability against the flow of balance performance and scalability against the flow of transactions into and out of a B2B production environment. transactions into and out of a B2B production environment.

If a system requires flexibility, extensibility, ease of use, and If a system requires flexibility, extensibility, ease of use, and platform independence, then XML is very appropriate. platform independence, then XML is very appropriate.