SEVERAL COMPANIES, INCLUDING Novell and Check Point Software Technologies, have begun work on an XML-based specification to ease the task of provisioning resources.

   ADVERTISEMENT
  

Free IT resource

TechNet: More ways to know it, share it, and keep it running.

Sponsored by Microsoft

Free IT resource

Attend the SOA Executive Forum: Breaking SOA Bottlenecks SOAExecForum.com/may2007

Sponsored by InfoWorld

RELATED LINKS
»  IT trainer offers master's degree for hackers
»  MSNBC buys participatory news site Newsvine
»  Merchants: eBay ad programs drive buyers away
»  Web services RSS feed 

IDG ENTERPRISE NETWORK
• Web Services Caution Abounds  (CIO)

TOP NEWS 


IT SOLUTION SEARCH
The specification, known as ADPr (Active Digital Profile), is being driven by Business Layers, a Rochelle Park, N.J.-based e-provisioning company, along with industry players such as Novell, Check Point Software Technologies, ePresence and Netigy.

ADPr is an XML-based schema designed to provide a vendor- and platform-independent exchange of provisioning information to allocate and deploy IT applications, devices, systems, and services to employees, business partners, and customers.

In its early stages, the specification is based on Business Layers' software, but it will not be limited to that, according to Adrian Viego, CTO of Business Layers.

"Ultimately, if ADPr is as successful as we want it to be, two companies can conduct business using the specification without that having anything to do with us," Viego said.

The listed partners are supporting ADPr through technology as well as volunteering to contribute to the development of the specification.

Viego added that if everything goes according to plan, Business Layers hopes to submit the specification early in the second half of next year to the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS), an international standards body that creates interoperable specifications.