Using Variable Communication Technologies for Realizing Business Collaborations

Abstract

In today’s business world, enterprises are not only using WebServices for implementing B2Bi. Instead, AS2 for realizingInternet based EDI, ebXML Messaging and even SMTP andFTP are used for exchanging business documents. HarmonizingB2Bi communication technology in a way that solelyuses Web Services is barely an option for large enterprises asthis would result in losing investments in existing IT systems.Moreover, forcing a specific communication technology uponall business partners is neither intended nor realistic inpractice. At the same time, existing business documentexchanges frequently only implement B2Bi scenarios partly.This paper focuses on a method for composing existing andnew business document exchanges without replacing communicationtechnology already in use. First, ebXML BPSSis proposed for describing the choreography of businessdocument exchanges in a technology agnostic way. Second,ebXML CPPA is used to define messaging characteristics atthe level of ebBP BusinessTransactions. Third, an integrationarchitecture for performing ebXML BPSS choreographiesusing BPEL processes that execute each integration partner’smessage exchanges is proposed. These BPEL processesassume Web service wrappers for reusing the functionalityof messaging systems that are responsible for performingthe actual business document exchanges and for providingsufficient status information to the caller. Different messagingsystems then can be used for incorporating variablecommunication technologies in business collaborations.