RE: XLANG, WSFL response on solicit-response and output-only

I wouldn't call XLANG and WSFL "standards". There aren't any Web services
workflow standards.

XLANG is a Microsoft specification, and an implementation is available with
Microsoft BizTalk Server (see http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/default.asp).
WSFL is an IBM specification, and an implementation is available through
alphaWorks called Web Services Process Management Toolkit (see
http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/wspmt). You might also want to
investigate WSCI
(http://wwws.sun.com/software/xml/developers/wsci/index.html), a joint
effort by Sun, BEA, Intalio, and SAP. Sun provides a WSCI Editor:
http://wwws.sun.com/software/xml/developers/wsci/download/index.html.
There's also an older effort called BPML, created by the BPMI consortium
(www.bpmi.org - led by Intalio), but I don't think this effort will lead
anywhere in the future. There are at least a dozen other products out there
that claim to do Web services workflow and business process management.

The closest thing we have to an official standard is the stuff done by the
WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition), see http://www.wfmc.org/. They've
defined a Workflow XML language (Wf-XML). See
http://www.wfmc.org/standards/docs/Wf-XML-11.pdf. Unfortunately Wf-XML
doesn't have a binding to SOAP and WSDL at this time (WSFL and WSCI do.
XLANG/BizTalk use something very close to SOAP and WSDL.) I know of one
Wf-XML implementation. See http://www.carnot.ag/products/modeling/wfxml.htm.
I believe that SAP is also doing something with Wf-XML (they refer to it as
WebFlow).

Best regards,
Anne
  -----Original Message-----
  From: www-ws-desc-request@w3.org [mailto:www-ws-desc-request@w3.org]On
Behalf Of Fenglian Xu
  Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 6:13 AM
  To: www-ws-desc@w3.org
  Subject: Re: XLANG, WSFL response on solicit-response and output-only


  Dear all experts:



   I am currently investigating a new technology to compose several other
web services. I know that both XLANG and WSFL are standard specifications
which can be used for our purpose.  Could any of you point out which
software (tools ) can provide a work environment so that I can compose a
workflow model and run it?  Is it possible to monitor the states of
execution and interact with the workflow during the run?



   I really appreciate it whatever help you can provide.



   Frances Xu