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ComputerWorld
June 6, 2002
Enterprise P2P
Local software company GridNode showcases peer web services model for supply chain collaboration at O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference.
By Melanie Liew
Local software company, GridNode demonstrated its pioneering efforts in supply chain collaboration using a peer web services model at the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference in Santa Clara in the United States recently.
In addition, the company also showcased RosettaNet implementation scenarios to drive greater application inter-operability within the high-tech industry.
The company's software, GridTalk combines support for common protocols such as SOAP (simple object access protocol), WSDL (web services description language) and UDDI (universal description, discovery and integration) with the transactional integrity and security features required for enterprise level functionality.
The technology leverages on the peer-to-peer (P2P) model for dynamic web services providers and consumers.
With the P2P architecture, GridTalk enables computers that have been traditionally used as "dumb" clients to now communicate directly among themselves and to act as both clients and servers. This means that information can now be dynamically pushed or pulled to and from trading partners in real time.
Because GridTalk supports RosettaNet ebusiness standards and peer web services, business partners are able to inter-operate with others, regardless of the backend application.
Said Leow Chee Tong (left), managing director of GridNode, "To date, the industry has focused on defining an approach to web services that requires development tools and extensive coding."
"Currently, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that uses a third party logistics service provider needs to send RosettaNet-based inventory report to its suppliers. Under current architectures, in formation would be pushed in batches to suppliers, regardless of the suppliers' interests."
A key feature of P2P technology is its flexibility to operate in an environment with dynamic Internet protocol addresses and variable Internet connectivity. This functionality is particularly useful in situations where trading partners only have remote dial-up or unreliable Internet connections. To enhance this feature, GridTalk provides user authentication security, non-repudiation, partner activity logs, as well as message and error alerts via email and wireless devices.
With web services, all parties concerned would be able to push and pull the data in real time. This gives the partners more flexibility in increasing information flow as and when needed.
Furthermore, many enterprises have been discouraged from automating their business-to-business interactions because of prohibitive costs and lengthy implementation downtimes. Therefore, more reliable and cost effective technical paradigms that bring a faster return on investment will enable small and medium size enterprises to deploy peer web services in their business initiatives.
"Our customers have indicated that they are looking for business ware that provides a platform for business users to manage web services."
"In addition, GridTalk enables each GridNode peer to share a highly controlled and limited set of information with an explicit set of partner GridNode peers using an encrypted communication channel. Licensed through RSA's PKI, GridTalk allows for up to 1024-bit encryption. Other security features include user authorisation, data encryption and digital certificate authentication," said Leow.
GridNode is at www.gridnode.com.
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