Publishing Public Processes

[mjeynes]

The integration vision 5 years ago heralded the use of published Public Processes as the way we would manage B2B partner relationships. Today's WS-BPEL standard provides a basis for defining these relationships formally. Does anyone have any experiences to share on this topic?

[bluedevil]

You are starting to see standardized processes being published by industry groups. For example, in telecommunications, there is the eTOM (enhanced telecommunications operations model) standard.

[ms1mm0]

BPEL, as eluded to in the question, is capable of defining and executing public processes, modeling the converstational flow between trading partners' interfaces. A key area is BPEL tools support for public process which IBM is pursuing.

Mark S

[JerryG]

IBM has published sample process models developed by the WebSphere Business Modeler on this Web page: http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbimodeler/library/tutorials.html

[brsilver]

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment behind the question, but I don't think BPEL provides the answer. Yes, BPEL can be used to describe "abstract" processes but that's not the same thing at all.

First of all, B2B processes require a protocol with signals for things like "yes I got your message" (before responding the the request itself), binding to trading partner agreements, etc. If you used (or still use) something like RosettaNet, ebXML, or even EDI you know what I'm talking about.

Now we need a way to rehost those semantics on WS-* and SOA. BPEL abstract processes don't do that. I think ebXML is trying but not very successfully. Once such a framework is in place I think you could see the industry groups begin to publish public processes on top of it.