The UDDI Registry – A Work in Progress

As international standards setting processes strengthen and converge, technologies fundamental to distributed systems architectures, such as XML, SOAP and WebServices, are being introduced into the marketplace. These facilitate the development of e-Commerce models and technology deployment patterns that allow both the closed, traditional e-hub and ‘open’ trading partner identification and application integration on-thefly (dynamic invocation). To leverage these technologies efficiently, one needs to go beyond the ‘discovery’ phase of trading partner selection to efficient and possibly dynamic engagement and transaction phases at the systems integration and technology levels. In this paper, we look at one recent initiative designed to support the above, the Universal Description, Discovery and Integration Initiative (UDDI). We review its design and current use profile and comment on its prospects for achieving its aims