The goal of ebXML is to provide an open XML-based infrastructure to enable enterprises to conduct business over the Internet. The ebXML technology is based on a set of building blocks (specifications). EbXML builds on the experience of EDI (electronic data exchange), and takes advantage of XML and the Internet. EbXML is the work of UN/CEFACT , the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business and OASIS, the international consortium that designs and develops industry-standard specifications based on XML.

The fourth meeting of the Electronic Business XML (ebXML) initiative, 7-11 August 2000 in San Jose, California, saw the project consolidate some of its early progress, add new functionality, show off more of its messaging capabilities, and attract an important new industry partner to its cause. But despite the progress, participants at this latest meeting were bogged down fitting important pieces of its technology together to complete this comprehensive specification on time.

The ebXML Messaging Service specification (ebMS) extends the SOAP specification to provide the security and reliability features required by many production enterprise and e-business applications. As an OASIS Open standard, ebMS is a mature specification, supported by a variety of commercial and open source software implementations. The interoperability of many of these implementations has been demonstrated in a number of ongoing projects internationally. This makes ebMS a strong complement or even alternative to other web service specifications.

The Electronic Business XML (ebXML) initiative is a joint effort between OASIS (the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) and UN/CEFACT (the United Nation's body for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) to create a global XML framework for electronic business. ebXML will enable both large and small to medium sized companies to participate in electronic data interchange without having to understand anything about the underlying technology that makes it happen. As an active participant in the ebXML initiative, Sun is closely involved in the open process to help define the specifications.

The Electronic Business XML (ebXML) project released three more technical specifications for review on 28 March, including a new draft document on messaging services. This part of ebXML -- formerly known as transport, routing, and packaging -- had made more early progress than the other technical features, but it also came under more pressure to include the work of other initiatives, specifically the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Enhancements to the original SOAP specification made it easier for ebXML to join forces. But it also marked something of a change in operation for ebXML, now more willing to make accommodations with other related initiatives in order achieve its goal of a single worldwide e-business standard.

While there are many standards that look like ebXML, ebXML is the first horizontal standard designed to address the exchange of information and adherence to inter-enterprise processes. However, in attempting to reach this lofty goal, ebXML is also a complex standard and takes some understanding before we can comprehend its value to the world of application integration and electronic business.

The United Nations CEFACT and OASIS announced that the core technical infrastructure of Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML), the Electronic Business XML Initiative, will be delivered in March 2001, two months ahead of schedule. A panel of 10 companies participated in a flawless live demonstration, communicating a compelling message: ebXML is now globally functional across multiple platforms and is targeted toward small and medium businesses.

The ebXML Messaging Service specification (ebMS) extends the SOAP specification to provide the security and reliability features required by many production enterprise and e-business applications. As an OASIS Open standard, ebMS is a mature specification, supported by a variety of commercial and open source software implementations. The interoperability of many of these implementations has been demonstrated in a number of ongoing projects internationally. This makes ebMS a strong complement or even alternative to other web service specifications.

The standardization of electronic business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML) promises to revolutionize the way companies partner and conduct business. The initiative, sponsored by the standards bodies United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS), has produced a modular suite of XML specifications that enables enterprises of any size or location to conduct business over the Internet.

Which organizations are currently working on the development of ebXML and where can they be found? The intention behind this page was to create a guide for the ebXML initiative, since its projects are distributed between organisations. It was confusing for me in the beginning to find the right project with the right information, so I hope that this guide helps to improve access to the project sites and their deliverables.

Adobe announced the acquisition of Yellow Dragon Software--which makes an off-the-shelf Electronic Business eXtensible Markup Language (ebXML) application--and that its technology will be incorporated into Adobe enterprise-level PDF software.

ebXML is governed by OASIS. It should be noted that many of the specifications that are in ebXML have significant overlap with many of the new specifications coming out of IBM and Microsoft. For now, industries are being forced to choose between the competing specifications. It is anticipated that in the near future, one of the efforts will subsume the other or efforts will be made to make them compatible.

DISA (the Data Interchange Standards Association) has announced a "working prototype of a registry for electronic business specifications from two of its vertical industry organizations: the Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) Forum and the OpenTravel Alliance (OTA)."

WebLogic Integration supports a routing architecture that allows it to manage the exchange of XOCP, RosettaNet, cXML, and ebXML messages. Trading partners using WebLogic Integration can therefore exchange business messages using any of these business protocols.

The ebXML control enables WebLogic Workshop business processes to exchange business messages and data with trading partners via ebXML. The ebXML control supports both the ebXML 1.0 and ebXML 2.0 messaging services. You use ebXML controls in initiator business processes to manage the exchange of ebXML business messages with participants.

The ebXML Technical Architecture Team, whose goal is "to develop the technical architecture that will encompass ebXML and commit the architecture to paper", announced version 0.6 of its specification draft.

Alan Kotok writes about how the Australian government has combined with standards authorities and technology vendors to build a national e-business network for small companies.

The ebxmlrr project [1] of freebxml.org [2] is pleased to announce a new production-ready release of its ebXML Registry: ebxmlrr 2.1-final1. An XML registry/repository is a critical piece of infrastructure for organizations to increase the efficiency of their business. The XML registry/repository is a versatile tool which helps to given employees, customers, and partners (internally and externally) scaleable, searchable, customizable, and secure role based access to critical information using standard protocols. The repository can store XML, web services, or any other type of data, and the registry manages the entire life cycle of information in the repository using sophisticated meta-data technology.

Welcome to the core components team site. The initial phase of ebXML is now complete and you can download the Core Component Technical Reports from this page. Comments regarding contents and layout of this site should be sent to the editor/web developer James Whittle.

"ebXML, sponsored by UN/CEFACT and OASIS, is a modular suite of specifications that enables enterprises of any size and in any geographical location to conduct business over the Internet. Using ebXML, companies now have a standard method to exchange business messages, conduct trading relationships, communicate data in common terms and define and register business processes."