Martin William Sachs

Business-to-business integration with tpaML and a business-to-business protocol framework

In business-to-business interactions spanning electronic commerce, supply chain management, and other applications, the terms and conditions describing the electronic interactions between businesses can be expressed as an electronic contract or trading partner agreement (TPA). From the TPA, configuration information and code that embody the terms and conditions can be generated automatically at each trading partners site. The TPA expresses the rules of interaction between the parties to the TPA while maintaining complete independence of the internal processes at each party from the other parties. It represents a long-running conversation that comprises a single unit of business. This paper summarizes the needs of interbusiness electronic interactions. Then it describes the basic principles of electronic TPAs, followed by an overview of the proposed TPA language. The business-to-business protocol framework (BPF) provides various tools and run-time services for supporting TPA-based interaction and integration with business applications. Finally, we describe examples of solutions constructed using TPAs and BPF.

The IBM Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON) Architecture

The IBM Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON™) Architecture™ is the architecture for the new fiber optic serial-I/O channels for the processors in the IBM System/390 ® family. The architecture is based on message exchanges, which replace the byte-oriented protocols of the predecessor parallel interface architecture. Its interconnection topology employs a dynamic crosspoint switch. This paper describes the major functional components of the architecture and discusses some of the technical problems that were solved during its development.

The computer in the nuclear science laboratory

Abstract The principles of computer-based nuclear physics experimentation are surveyed in tutorial fashion.

Visualizing Document Classification: A Search Aid for the Digital Library

The recent explosion of the internet has made digital libraries popular. The user-friendly interface of Web browsers allows a user much easier access to the digital library. However, to retrieve relevant documents from the digital library, the user is provided with a search interface consisting of one input field and one push button. Most users type in a single keyword, click the button, and hope for the best. The result of a query using this kind of search interface can consist of a large unordered set of documents, or a ranked list of documents based on the frequency of the keywords. Both lists can contain articles unrelated to users inquiry unless a sophisticated search was performed and the user knows exactly what to look for. More sophisticated algorithms for ranking the relevance of search results may help, but what is desperately needed are software tools that can analyze the search result and manipulate large hierarchies of data graphically. In this paper, we present a language-independent document classification system for the Florida Center for Library Automation to help users analyze the search query results. Easy access through the Web is provided, as well as a graphical user interface to display the classification results.

Applications Of Fiber Optics To Computer Systems

Fiber optics promises to be an attractive transmission medium for communication between the computer and its I/O devices and for local networks. Its attractiveness results from its potential for providing high data transfer rate and long transmission distance. Within the central computer complex, serial transmission on fiber optics can also eliminate many of the problems associated with todays bulky parallel cables and connectors. However to obtain the maximum benefits of fiber optics, it will be necesary to make changes to the I/O interface architecture as well as the transmission medium. Changes may also be required in the way applications utilize I/O in order to take advantage of the high data rate potential. This paper discusses some of the features of fiber optics as applied to the computer system and also indicates possible architecture and application approaches for deriving the greatest benefit from fiber optics.

Fiber Optics For Local Data Networks

The rapid advances in fiber optic communications over the past few years have generated increased interest in the computer industry to evaluate and use this technology. A number of prototype links for the interconnection of data processing equipment have been fabricated and successfully tested in data transmission applications. The features of fiber optic links utilized in these applications have primarily been freedom from electromagnetic interference and smaller, lighter cables. Future applications are also likely to take advantage of fiber link features such as high bandwidth and low attenuation. This paper reviews the status of fiber link component and application activity as it relates to todays local data network environment and then suggests how new system designs might take more significant advantage of fiber optic technology.