News Release: Service Modeling Standards Extend Reach of XML Family

Service Modeling Standards Extend Reach of XML Family

SML, SML-IF Enable Validation of Sets of Documents

http://www.w3.org/ -- 12 May 2009 -- Today W3C announces new standards 
that make it possible to use XML tools to improve the quality of 
increasingly sophisticated systems and services built from the XML 
family of standards. Now developers can validate sets of XML documents, 
either in place, using Service Modeling Language 1.1 (SML), or as a 
package, using SML Interchange Format 1.1 (SML-IF). Validity constraints 
are expressed using a flexible combination of XML Schema and ISO 
Schematron, extended for cross-document use.

"These standards reduce integration costs, while preserving vendor 
neutrality and providing new flexibility for managing sets of linked XML 
documents," said John Arwe, Chair of the Service Modeling Language 
Working Group, which produced the new standards.

SML, SML-IF Enable Validation of Sets of XML Documents

To illustrate what SML adds to the XML ecosystem, consider what happens 
when someone purchases an airline ticket. Suppose the reservation 
information is stored as an XML document that includes passenger 
information. The reservation also refers to a second XML document that 
stores departure time and other information about the flight. One 
department manages customer information, another manages flight 
information. Before any transaction with the customer, the airline wants 
to ensure that the system as a whole is valid. SML allows the airline to 
verify that certain constraints are satisfied across the reservation and 
flight data. This makes it easier to manage inconsistencies, and to do 
so without writing custom code. As a result, the airline lowers the cost 
of managing tasks such as informing passengers when flight times change.

An organization may also find that it needs to apply additional 
constraints when using data in a particular context, for example because 
of local laws. Developers can use SML to layer on context-specific 
constraints without duplicating content.

Flexibility Helps Address Social Realities

A number of social situations make clear why organizations choose to 
manage data in smaller pieces, while not wanting to lose the power of 
schema validation. The same airline also exchanges information with 
several car rental partners. Rather than build custom applications for 
sharing information, the airline can use SML-IF to lower the cost of 
collaboration. SML extends schema processing to "follow links" to 
provide assurances that linked-to data has the expected structure. SML 
and SML-IF can be used with any XML vocabulary, and build on existing 
standards such XML Schema and ISO Schematron.

SML and SML-IF were developed by the Service Modeling Language Working 
Group which included the following W3C Members: CA, HP, IBM Corporation, 
and Microsoft Corporation.

Notes for editors:
=================

Web Ressources:
---------------
This press release:
    - in English: http://www.w3.org/2009/04/sml-pressrelease.html.en
    - in other translations:
      http://www.w3.org/Press/Overview.html#x2009-sml

The Service Modeling Language 1.1 (SML) standard:
      http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/REC-sml-20090512/

The ML Interchange Format 1.1 (SML-IF) standard:
      http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/REC-sml-if-20090512/

Testimonials for SML, SML-IF Recommendations from  CA | IBM | Microsoft:
      http://www.w3.org/2009/04/sml-testimonial

  CA is proud to have helped develop a new standard for modeling that 
will help improve IT management, security, and governance for customers. 
With the SML extensions, modelers are able to use XML and XML Schema to 
model the relationships and constraints in their IT environments.
     — Paul Lipton, VP of Industry Standards and Open Source, CA

  IBM is pleased to work with the W3C and its partners to expand the 
capabilities of XML to include the interchange of sets of linked 
documents. Our customers want the flexibility to link and validate 
content across multiple related XML documents. These standards will 
ensure that they can do this for XML documents that are created and 
managed with a variety of systems and tools.
     — Karla Norsworthy, Vice President, IBM Software Standards

  Microsoft Corporation is pleased to see Service Modeling Language 1.1 
become a W3C Recommendation. We are committed to enabling interchange of 
models for services and systems. SML significantly helps reduce 
complexity and enhances solution interoperability. We congratulate W3C 
on achieving this important milestone toward an open standard for model 
interchange.
     — Megan Wallent, General Manager, Microsoft Corporation

Press Contacts:
--------------
Americas, Australia -- Ian Jacobs, <ij@w3.org>, +1.718.260.9447 or
+1.617.253.2613
Europe, Africa and the Middle East -- Marie-Claire Forgue, <mcf@w3.org>,
+33 6 76 86 33 41
Asia -- Kanako Iwasa, <keio-contact@w3.org>, +81.466.49.1170

About the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C]
-----------------------------------------
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international consortium where
Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to
develop Web standards. W3C primarily pursues its mission through the
creation of Web standards and guidelines designed to ensure long-term
growth for the Web. Over 400 organizations are Members of the
Consortium. W3C is jointly run by the MIT Computer Science and
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the USA, the European
Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM)
headquartered in France and Keio University in Japan, and has additional
Offices worldwide. For more information see http://www.w3.org/

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Received on Tuesday, 12 May 2009 14:51:46 UTC