December 11, 2000

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Spec Seeks To Use XML For Provisioning

Specification would expand capabilities of automated tools

By John Rendleman

More on XML:

XML Conversion: Vital To A Freight Company's Success (10/16/00) DATABASES THAT FOCUS ON THE NET (10/09/00) Computer Reseller News: LAUDING BENEFITS OF XML (10/16/00)

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n order to broaden the capabilities of automated provisioning tools, one vendor has proposed using XML as a common language for the tools, which can automatically configure and activate back-office IT and networking equipment and services.

Business Layers Inc. is backing what it calls the Active Digital Profile (ADPr), a specification for using XML as a way to communicate provisioning information across a broad spectrum of equipment and services from a variety of vendors.

So far, only a handful of vendors have signed on to support the proposed specification, and Business Layers is trying to broaden the support for the standard, say company executives. Other backers include Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. and Novell. But Business Layers is recruiting better-known companies in XML, chief technology officer Adrian Viego says.

The company intends to present in about six months its ADPr for certification by the major XML standards bodies such as Oasis, Viego says. In the meantime, it will work on developing some reference implementations to demonstrate how the specification will work in the real world.

"This is generic administrative stuff companies want to offload," says Pete Lindstrom, senior analyst for secu-rity strategies at The Hurwitz Group. "It's nice to know that vendors are attacking issues of workflow and asset management. It's dawning on people that XML can now be used for age-old IT issues."

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