Charles Herring

Component-based software systems for smart environments

The article focuses on the role component-based software may play in realizing smart environments. A scenario describes a future smart environment in a university campus setting. The scenario illustrates how software components might contribute to the various phases of development, deployment and use of smart environments. Key research areas identified include: development of component frameworks, component interface standards, addressing schemes, and protocols.

Implementing B2B contracts using BizTalk

We describe our work in implementing business-to-business (B2B) contracts using Microsofts BizTalk. BizTalk is a Microsoft product for the development of XML based document messaging systems specifically for e-commerce. We have developed a B2B enterprise model that supports a wide range of economic transactions associated with intangible goods and services. This model guides implementation of our business contract architecture software. The model identifies specific roles such as a repository for contract schemas and instances, auditor, monitor and enforcer. A contract scenario is used to illustrate the architecture and concepts described. We go into detail on the BizTalk implementation of contracts and show how a contract can be used as the basis for policies and plans that govern the behavior of the parties involved in the contract.