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COMMERCIAL VENTURES IN EMERGING COMPUTING ENVIRONMENTS

As mentioned in the text, three major software vendors are = developing=20 commercial products in the emerging computing environments. Here, we = provide=20 details about these efforts.=20

MICROSOFT.NET. Microsoft is launching a major research = effort, known=20 as Microsoft.Net (www.microsoft.com/net/default.asp). This = computing=20 infrastructure takes the advantages of closely and loosely coupled = systems,=20 combining multiple and incompatible interfaces. It works as an=20 application-specific programming model by assuming that various Web=20 Services-based components such as PCs, handheld computers, mobile = phones, and=20 Internet TV are parts of its system. Scalability and application = reliability are=20 the two key considerations. To enable a wide variety of Web Services on = a=20 heterogeneous infrastructure, Microsoft is adapting XML as a = data-description=20 format. .NET can be viewed as an operating system platform that=20 incorporates applications, a suite of tools and services, and a change = in the=20 infrastructure of a company=92s Web strategy.=20

There are four main principles of .NET from the perspective of the = user.=20
  1. It erases the boundaries between applications and the Internet. = Instead of=20 interacting with an application or a single Web site, .NET can connect = the=20 user to an array of computers and services that can exchange and = combine=20 objects and data. This is done with Web Services.=20
  2. Software will be rented as a hosted service over the Internet = instead of=20 purchased off a store shelf. Essentially, the Internet will be housing = all=20 your applications and data (based on the concept of utility = computing).=20
  3. Users will have access to their information on the Internet from = any=20 device, any time, anywhere (compatible with wireless, connected = pervasive=20 computing).=20
  4. There will be new ways to interact with application data, such as = speech=20 and handwriting recognition.

.NET depends on five Web Services standards: HTTP, XML, SOAP, WDSL, = and=20 UDDI. For details on .NET, see Tabor (2002), Parihor et al. (2002), = and=20 microsoft.com/net/default.asp.=20

IBM=92S WEBSPHERE PLATFORM. The WebSphere platform is a = comprehensive=20 set of tools for building, modifying, connecting, and operating = e-business=20 applications. The core of the platform is the application server, which = is an=20 extremely scalable transaction engine for dynamic e-business = applications. The=20 Open Services Infrastructure allows companies to deploy a core operating = environment that works as a reliable foundation capable of handling = high-volume=20 secure transactions and Web Services. WebSphere continues the evolution = to a=20 single Web Services-enabled, Java-based application server and = development=20 environment that addresses the essential elements needed for an = on-demand=20 operating environment. For further details see=20 ibm.com/software/websphere.=20

SUN MICROSYSTEM N1 PROJECT. The N1 system architecture = redefines the=20 meaning of a system by adopting a perspective that is broader than what = has=20 previously defined a computing system. The traditional view is a = collection of=20 computers, memory, network, and storage resources in a single cabinet, = all=20 working together to support a single application. Even today, IT = architects=20 recognize that the system is not just what we know as a single computer, = but the=20 entire set of components that work together to deliver a network = service. This=20 perspective encompasses the multiple computers, storage systems, and = network=20 hardware that are used to deliver services with the scalability, = availability,=20 and security that businesses require. While the definition of a system = is=20 changing, we have been missing the tools to operate and manage it as a = single=20 entity.=20

N1 takes a broader definition that =93the network is the = computer,=94 viewing=20 the entire set of computing, storage, and networking components as a = pool of=20 resources that can be operated and managed as one. It integrates and = abstracts=20 all of the resources needed to provide high-level services that are = closely=20 aligned with a company=92s business objectives. N1 can be viewed as an = operating=20 system that manages a network=92s components as though they were all = part of one=20 big computer, automatically rearranging resources on-the-fly in response = to=20 which applications have priority at any given time. For details and = diagrams see=20 Schonfeld (2002) and Khalidi (2002).

REFERENCES FOR ONLINE FILE W2.8=20

Khalidi, Y., =93N1: Revolutionary IT Architecture for Business,=94 = 2002,=20 sun.com/software/solutions/n1/essays/khalidi.html.
Parihor, = M. et=20 al., ASP.Net Bible. New York: Hungry Mind, 2002.Schonfeld, E., = =93Computing to the=20 Nth degree,=94 Business 2.0, September 2002.
Tabor, R.,=20 Microsoft.Net XML Web Services. Indianapolis, IN: SAMS, 2002.=20