Building B2B Applications with XML: A Resource Guide - Softcover

Michael James Fitzgerald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471404012 ISBN 13: 9780471404019

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2001

Synopsis

What every IT manager and system administrator needs to know about the technology that drives the B2B marketplace
The B2B marketplace is rapidly exploding--fast outpacing business-to-consumer e-commerce and expected to reach more than $7 trillion in sales by 2004. This guidebook equips XML authors, programmers, and managers with the technology know-how they need to create and develop simple yet robust B2B systems from scratch. It provides easy-to-understand explanations on how and why XML and other important technologies such as HTTP and MIME are driving the B2B marketplace. Along with XML and Java code examples, readers will find broad coverage of emerging standards and protocols, including Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), ebXML from OASIS/UN/CEFACT, XML Common Business Language (xCBL), BizTalk, and Commerce XML (cXML).

About this title

Review

If we ever reach the point where businesses can efficiently and cost-effectively transfer information among themselves, chances are that XML will be the key technology that makes it all work. Building B2B Applications with XML offers an overview of using XML as a data transfer mechanism between organizations. Although this area is still really in its infancy, this book lends good perspective to the benefits of XML and offers a snapshot of the current landscape of standards.

Author Michael Fitzgerald aims the book at both managers looking to grasp the general concept of B2B, and software developers looking for a little more detail about where to start with such an initiative. The first part of the book describes the fundamentals of the XML standard, transport mechanisms, and security techniques that come into play when designing a B2B solution. The XML overview isn't a comprehensive tutorial, but rather a quick run-through of all the various components of XML, such as DTDs, Schemas, and transformations. The transport section discusses HTTP, FTP, MIME, SMTP, and other standards key to communicating data. The demonstrations are conducted in Java.

The second part of the book will be of greatest value to software developers. It explores some of the key standards currently available in the XML world. The reader gets a look at ebXML, xCBL, cXML, SOAP, and BizTalk. All of these are essential initiatives for an XML developer to keep current on.

The book's easy-to-read style makes it suitable for non-programmers, but its content is detailed enough to warrant a read by seasoned coders. While it isn't a panacea for the challenges of XML B2B, it's a good place to start. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

• B2B overview
• XML document structure
• DTDs
• XML Schema
• CSS
• TCP/IP
• HTTP
• SMTP
• MIME
• Digital signatures
• Public-key infrastructure
• S/MIME
• XML Signature
• IPSec
• PGP
• SSL
• ebXML
• xCBL
• cXML
• SOAP
• BizTalk

From the Back Cover

A guided tour of the resources and technologies you need to create simple B2B exchange systems

Building B2B Applications with XML

To take advantage of new opportunities in the trillion-dollar B2B marketplace, you need to find out why XML is fast becoming the backbone of ecommerce and B2B enterprise solutions. This book cuts through the hype surrounding the recent surge in B2B development and arms you with the freely available technologies you need-such as XML, HTTP, and MIME-to create effective B2B applications. Among the simple Java programs in the book are examples that show you how to transport documents, digitally sign and verify documents, and log document exchanges.

You'll also learn:
* How to move documents with hands-on examples of HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and POP3
* How to encrypt and sign B2B documents using Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and XML Signatures
* Why ebXML (Electronic Business XML) is poised to become a vital global standard for business communications
* How to create orders and invoices using Commerce One's xCBL (XML Common Business Library), the largest B2B collection available
* How to manage catalog data with Ariba's cXML (Commerce XML)-one of B2B's most mature vocabularies
* How Microsoft is banking on Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) as a messaging envelope for business documents and passing method calls
* How to package business documents with Microsoft's robust SOAP implementation, BizTalk
* The companion Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/fitzgerald features:
* Java code from the book, plus additional Java programs and resources
* Links to XML and related recommendations and drafts, XML vocabularies and protocols for B2B, and other associated standards such as RFCs
* Information on RosettaNet, the electronic component industry's B2B solution

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0471404012
• ISBN 13: 9780471404019
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336