The acronyms and terms below are collected together for reference. For each item, the glossary provides the definition, location in the book, a brief description, and reference links. Vendor and industry-specific acronyms and terms are omitted unless they are in wide use (e.g. COM).

ACID transactions are an essential requirement for updates to enterprise data stores.

ACORD - Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (8.4.1.2)

ACORD developed a property and casualty markup language for the Insurance Industry.

ADO.NET is an enhancement to ADO that uses XML data sets.

Active Directory is a Microsoft Windows service for centrally managing and sharing information on network resources and users.

Agents are software components that autonomously interact with other programs to accomplish a goal.

AI is the computer automation of tasks, which seem to require reasoning processes and knowledge.

APIs are a set of interfaces, methods and protocols that can be used by a program to access a resource.

ASP- Application Server Providers (6.3.2)

ASPs host software for corporations in external data centers, providing access over private networks or the Internet. This can reduce the internal costs and resources required for maintaining a robust technical infrastructure.

ASP is Microsoft's technology for dynamically building Web pages by using specialized HTML tags to insert scripts and database queries.

ASP+ and ASP.NET extend ASP by enabling the use of compiled code and server side controls.

AVK is a tool from Sun that helps developers ensure that their applications use the J2EE APIs correctly and are portable across J2EE compatible application servers.

B2C is communication between business and customers including information, transactions and billing.

B2E portals provide a customized homepage or desktop for everyone within an organization.

The goal of BPA, BPI and BPM is to automate many of the manual tasks involving business processes.

BPEL4WS is a joint proposal by IBM, Microsoft and BEA that supersedes XLANG and WSFL as a language for describing Web Services business processes and interactions.

BREW is a software platform for mobile phones developed by Qualcomm.

BTP is an XML-based protocol for managing complex, B2B transactions over the Internet.

CCI is the part of the J2EE Connector Architecture that defines a standard client API to enable application components to access enterprise information resources.

CDC provides a virtual machine and basic Java class libraries on consumer electronic and embedded devices such as smart communicators, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and interactive, digital television set-top boxes. Typically, these devices run a 32-bit microprocessor/controller and have more than 2.0MB of total memory for the storage of the virtual machine and libraries.

CDMA is an industry-standard digital wireless technology for data transmission.

CGI is a standard for interfacing external applications with Web servers.

cHTML is a W3C standard scaled-down version of HTML for devices that is used by NTT DoCoMo's I-mode

CLDC is the Java runtime environment that targets small, resource-constrained devices, such as mobile phones, mainstream personal digital assistants, and small retail payment terminals. CLDC is suitable for devices with 16/32-bit RISC/CISC microprocessors/controllers, and with as little as 160 KB of total memory available.

CLS is a subset of the .NET Framework that is being submitted to the ECMA standards groups. The CLS rules define a subset of the Microsoft's common type systems that ensure language interoperability. The CLS also establishes requirements for CLS compliance.

Codasyl was an organization founded in 1957 by the U.S. Department of Defense. It produced the COBOL language and set up a Database Task Group to create standards for network databases.

COM, COM+ - Component Object Model (6.5.1.1)

COM is a Microsoft binary standard for component interoperability that has been applied to controls, compound documents, automation, data transfer, storage and naming in Windows operating systems. COM+ add enterprise level services and application development enhancements for COM components.

CORBA is the Object Management Group's open vendor-independent middleware architecture and infrastructure that enables heterogeneous computer applications to interoperate over networks using a standard IIOP protocol.

A CPR is a comprehensive electronically available dataset of personal health related information.

CRM software is intended to streamline customer service, provide sales and marketing staffs with customer information, and help generate more revenue from existing customers.

CVM is a Java 2 virtual machine designed for CDC devices such as appliances with embedded systems and connected consumer-oriented devices.

DAML is an XML-based language that provides a rich set of constructs with which to create concepts maps (ontologies) that can be used to markup information so that it is machine readable and understandable.

DARPA is the central research and development organization for the US Department of Defense. The Internet

was created as an outgrowth of DARPA sponsored research.

The Open Source Foundation's Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) was an industry-standard, vendor-neutral set of distributed computing technologies based on an underlying standard remote procedure call.

DCOM is a protocol that enables software components to communicate directly over a network. It is designed for use across multiple network transports, including Internet protocols such as HTTP. DCOM's underlying transport is based on the Open Software Foundation's DCE remote procedure call specification.

Dynamic HTML combines HTML, style sheets and scripts to animate Web pages.

DIME is a binary message format used to encapsulate application-defined payloads of arbitrary type and size into a single message construct. Each payload is described by a type, length, and optional identifier.

DISCO is a service of Microsoft .NET that makes it possible for clients to query endpoints to discover Web Services and their associated WSDL documents.

A DLL is a software component that an application can link to at run time.

DNA is a Microsoft software architecture design pattern with supporting tools and services for implementing applications on Windows operating systems.

The Document Object Model is a platform- and language-neutral interface that will allow programs and scripts to dynamically access and update the content, structure and style of HTML and XML documents.

DRM packages provide clients with a single access point to many distributed resources. The DRM manager allocates client jobs and tasks to the resources, aggregates the results, and returns responses to clients.

DTC is a Microsoft technology that performs transaction coordination role for the components of the COM architecture.

DTD defines the legal building blocks of an XML document.

EAI is the connection of multiple distributed applications and/or data sources in an organization. The interfaces can be at a data, API or adapter level.

eBXML is an effort sponsored by OASIS and UN/CEFACT to create standards that will allow enterprise to meet and conduct business through the exchange of XML messages.

ECMA is a European standards group whose goal is to develop standards and technical reports in order to facilitate and standardize the use of information and communication technology systems. ECMAScript is a standardization of JavaScript. Microsoft has submitted a subset of .NET and the C# language to ECMA.

Edge servers are distributed support servers that are located (e.g. closer to client) to improve service delivery. IBM's WebSphere Edge Server is a workload manager with caching capabilities for edge servers.

EDI is a collection of standard message formats and element dictionaries that enable businesses to exchange data via any electronic messaging service.

ERP the broad set of activities supported by application software packages that helps an enterprise manage product planning, parts purchasing, maintaining inventories, interacting with suppliers, providing customerservice, and tracking orders. ERP packages can also include application modules for the finance and human resources aspects of a business.

ESI is a markup language used to specify Web page components to enable the dynamic assembly and delivery of Web content from content management systems, content delivery networks and applications.

ETL software is used to manage large and possibly complex data flows among databases.

FIXML is a messaging standard for the real-time electronic exchange of securities transactions.

FpML is an XML standard for financial derivatives transactions.

GML is an XML encoding for the transport and storage of geographic information.

GSM developed the European standard mobile phone infrastructure that uses digital data transmission.

The GSS-API is an IETF standard application programming interface for security that can be implemented using multiple security mechanisms and programming languages.

GSTP focuses on the near real-time automation of post-trade and pre-settlement activities of industry participants, engaged in cross-border institutional securities trading.

GUIs are user interfaces that make use of visual components such as windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scroll bars, and icons that can be accessed through a pointing device.

HL7 XML is a format for exchanging clinical patient information.

HR is the corporate activity dealing with employee needs and related applications

HTTP is the standard protocol for Web communication between clients and servers.

IDLs are languages that describe interfaces in an abstract machine-readable format that

can be used to generate executable interface code.

The IETF is a large open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers. The actual technical work of the IETF is done in its working groups, which are organized by topic into several areas (e.g., routing, transport, security, etc.).

IIOP is an OMG specification that defines an abstract protocol using a set of data formatting rules and messaging types that support CORBA standards. This abstract protocol is then bound to TCP/IP to create an IIOP implementation.

IMPP is being developed by an IETF working group whose goal is to define protocols and data formats necessary to build an internet-scale end-user presence awareness, notification and instant messaging system. The group's initial task is to determine specific design goals and requirements for such a service

IOTP is an interoperable framework for Internet commerce optimized for the case where the buyer and the merchant do not have a prior acquaintance or a standard payment system.

ISO is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies from some 140 countries. ISO's goal is to promote the standardization and cooperation to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services.

J2EE is the Java platform for enterprise servers built on top of the Java 2 Standard Edition. It simplifies application development by defining standardized, reusable modular components and handling many aspects of programming automatically.

J2ME is the Java platform designed for a wide range of devices including pagers, phones, PDAs and appliances.

J2SE is the foundation Java Platform for desktop and servers. J2EE is built on top of J2SE. J2ME is a partial subset of J2SE since it omits packages such as user interface classes that are device dependent.

JAAS is a Java package that enables services to authenticate and enforce access controls upon users.

JAIN are standard Java APIs for interfacing to communication networks protocols and service creation.

JAM serves as an interface on devices between the KVM and other resources such as the network and operating systems. It controls the life cycle of applications including downloading, setting attributes, updating and deleting.

JAXB compiles an XML schema into one or more Java classes. The generated classes handle all the details of XML parsing and formatting. This provides significant performance gains and ease of development.

JAXM enables applications to send and receive document oriented XML messages using a pure Java API.

JAXP supports processing of XML documents using DOM, SAX, and XSLT.

JAXR - Java Architecture for XML Registries (8.5.1.2)

JAXR provides a standard Java API for accessing different kinds of XML Registries.

JAX-RPC enables the building of Java web applications and web services based on the SOAP RPC specification.

JCP is an open organization of international Java developers and licensees who use a formalized process ito develop and revise Java technology specifications, reference implementations, and technology compatibility kits.

JINI is a plug and play framework for networked device that uses a registry. A client device can locate a service using the registry and then download a service interface.

JIT compilers are used to transform intermediate languages or byte code to native machine object code at run time.

JMS is a standard Java API to asynchronous messaging products. It supports publish-and-subscribe and message queuing capabilities.

JMX defines an architecture for the management of applications and a set of APIs that describe the components of this architecture. The JMX architecture include a Managed Beans (MBeans) interface for managing resources and agents that interface MBeans to external management applications.

JNI is a standard programming interface for writing Java native language (e.g. C) methods and embedding the JVM into native applications

JNLP is an XML format that describes the URLs and other information need by a client to retrieve and launch downloadable Java applications.

JSP uses tags and scriptlets written in the Java programming language to encapsulate the logic that generates the content for dynamic Web pages.

JSTL is a set of standards markup tags that can be used in Java Server Pages to access Java code. These will provide functionality including conditional and iterative access to specified data sources.

JTA specifies standard Java interfaces between a transaction manager and the parties involved in a distributed transaction system: the resource manager, the application server, and the transactional applications. It is based on the OMG's CORBA Transaction Service.

JXTA is a peer to peer architecture using three layers; a core layer, a middle "services" layer, and an application layer. A Java reference implementation is available.

Kerberos - (3.5, 8.4.1.4)

Kerberos is a network authentication protocol from MIT that became an OSF standard and is part of Microsoft's federated identity initiative.

KVM - Kilo Virtual Machine (10.5.1.1.2)

The KVM is very small Java Virtual machine designed for constrained devices with as little as 160 KB of total memory available.

Message Queuing - (3.5, 7.4.2.2)

Message queuing systems store and forward messages to enable reliable asynchronous delivery.

MeT is an initiative to establish a framework for secure mobile transactions, ensuring a consistent user experience independent of device, service and network. The six initial sponsors were Ericsson, NEC, Matsushita, Nokia, Siemens, and Sony.

MIDP is a set of Java APIs which together with the CLDC provide a complete J2ME application runtime environment targeted at mobile information devices, such as mobile phones and entry level PDAs. The MIDP specification addresses issues such as user interface, persistence storage, networking, and application life cycle

MIME is a specification for formatting non-ASCII messages so that they can be sent over the Internet in e-mail or as part of a Web page.

MOM allows applications to communicate by means of one way messages. Message queuing middleware enables asynchronous guaranteed delivery. Publish-and-subscribe middleware supports dynamically configurable one-to-many messaging scenarios.

MPI is a library specification for message passing in high performance parallel and distributed computing. Free and commercially supported implementations are available.

MSIL is a CPU-independent language for .NET that is intermediate between source code and executable code. It understands object types and has instructions that create and initialize objects, call virtual methods on objects, and manipulate array elements directly. By defining a common type system, MSIL allows multiple languages programs to work together.

MSMQ is Microsoft's messaging technology that is bundled into the Windows operating system.

MTS is a Microsoft DNA technology service that supports transactions, scalability services, connection management, and point-and-click administration. It is part of the COM+ services.

The goal of MVC architectures is to separate the application object (model), user display (view) and user manipulation (controller). This approach is more flexible and easier to maintain than a monolithic implementation.

NATs are used to connect a private network containing unregistered IP addresses with an external IP network (e.g. Internet) using a limited number of registered IP addresses. They are an essential part of most large corporation's interfaces to the public Internet.

NCSA is a national supercomputer research center affiliated with the University of Illinois. The NCSA Mosaic Web browser and Web server initiated the explosive growth of the Web. NCSA is taking an active role in Grid testbeds.

.NET - Microsoft initiative (8.5.1.1)

.NET is a set of Microsoft software technologies that use XML and a common software framework

NewsML is an XML encoding that can be used for the creation, transfer, delivery and archiving of news.

NNTP is an IETF standard for the transfer of news group articles between sites and client reader access to news groups on network servers.

NPACI is a consortium of multiple research centers working to create a pervasive national Grid infrastructure.

The principal notion in OAGIS is the XML Business Object Document that supports a common horizontal message architecture that is independent of the underlying transport. OAGIS contains many Business Object Documents with sample instances and process scenarios.

OASIS is a consortium that designs and develops industry standard specifications for interoperability using XML.

ODBC is call level interface to relational databases developed by Microsoft. It uses middle layer drivers to enable applications to transparently access multiple databases.

OLAP products provide tools for the analysis of data that can be modeled in multidimensional data structures. OLAP technology includes the capability to aggregate and split data representations across multiple dimensions to enable detailed analysis.

OLE DB is Microsoft's strategic low-level COM interface to all types of data stores including interfaces to non-relational data sources.

The OMG is a consortium that produces and maintains computer industry specifications for interoperable applications. Their original work centered on a middleware Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The OMG's current focus is Model Driven Architecture based on the Unified Modeling Language.

OPES will define a framework and protocols to authorize and invoke distributed edge server application services while maintaining network robustness and end-to-end data integrity. Services will be traceable from both the content provider and consumer endpoints.

An ORB is a middleware technology for connecting distributed objects. The OMG's CORBA, Microsoft's DCOM and Javasoft's RMI are object request brokers.

The OSF was a multiple vendor consortium that developed standards and reference implementations for Unix related technologies. These included Kerberos security, X-Windows remote interface, MOTIF user interface, OSF operating system, and a distributed computing environment. It merged with the X/Open organization to form the Open Group consortium.

OSI- Open Systems Interconnect (3.8)

OSI was a layered network standardization effort by the International Organization for Standardization. OSI created a reference model description that was widely distributed. The OSI specification and technologies have been largely replaced by TCP/IP based approaches.

OGSA is an evolution of the Globus Grid Toolkit towards a system architecture integrating Grid and Web Services concepts and technologies.

OSS/BSS provide the back-end functions (e.g., billing, payment processing, customer management, setting up services and accounts, etc.) required to operate and manage a telecommunications service network.

The J2ME OTA protocol specifies how to deliver applications and services over a wireless network to devices.

PANs are networks formed by connecting devices that can be carried by individual users.

PUNCH is a Web computing portal that allows users to access and run programs.

PVM is a public domain package that enables a networked collection of heterogeneous computers to be accessed through a unified interface.

QOS describes the ability of networks, servers and applications to provide guaranteed sufficient resources to meet individual client requirements.

RDA is a communications protocol for remote database access that has been adopted as an ISO Standard. It has two parts. Part 1 specifies the generic model, service, and protocol for arbitrary database connection and Part 2 specifies additional protocols for connecting databases conforming to SQL.

REST is an architectural style that has been implicit in the development of the Web. It includes independent deployment of components, scalability of component interactions, interface standards, and the use of intermediate components to reduce interaction latency, enforce security, and encapsulate back-end systems.

RIXML - Research Information Exchange Markup Language (8.4.1.2)

RIXML is an XML standard format for categorizing, aggregating, comparing, sorting, and distributing global financial research.

RMI is an object request broker for Java environments. An RMI Java client can call a remote Java object in a server. RMI has been ported to run on top of the OMG's IIOP transport enabling access to server objects from other languages. RMI uses object serialization to pass Java parameters by value.

RosettaNet is a consortium of information technology, electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing companies working to create and implement industry-wide, open Partner Interface Process (PIP) standards.

RPC middleware enables distributed applications to communicate synchronously by means of procedure calls across a network. RPCs are not as flexible as messaging middleware and they do not supply the same level of interface abstraction as object request brokers.

The SALT Forum is developing a platform-independent standard to make possible multimodal and telephone-enabled access to multiple resources from PCs, telephones, and other mobile devices. The standard will extend existing mark-up languages such as HTML, XHTML and XML.

SAML's security information is expressed in the form of assertions about subjects that have an identity in some security domain. Assertions can convey information about authentication, attributes of subjects, and authorization decisions. Assertions are represented as nested XML constructs.

System area networks (SANs) provide high-speed switched interconnections between members of a cluster.

Storage area networks (SANs) provide high-speed access to clustered storage devices for multiple servers.

SAX parses XML documents by using an event-based streaming approach that uses less memory than creating a Distributed Object Model (DOM) representation.

SCM is the identification, tracking, ordering, and management of resources that are needed to ensure efficient creation and delivery of products.

An SDK is a programming package including APIs, tools, and documentation to help a programmer develop applications for a specific platform.

The Semantic Web is an extension of the current Web in which terms are given a well-defined meaning using globally unique identifiers with attached attributes and relationships.

The SET specification, is a technical standard developed by Visa and Mastercard as a way to facilitate secure payment card transactions over the Internet

SETI@home - Search for ExtraTerrestial Intelligence (11.4.2.4)

SETI@home is a project that used millions of Internet PCs to process astronomical data looking for meaningful signals. Data was downloaded to computers and processed by an embedded program in a screen saver.

SETCo manages the SET specification and supports the use of Secure Electronic Transactions on the Internet.

SGML is an ISO standard meta-language that creates and validates descriptions of tagged-based document mark-up languages. XML is a simplified subset of SGML. HTML is a simple language that is based on an SGML document type description.

SIMPLE is an IETF standard in process that applies the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to the domain of instant messaging and presence.

SIP is a protocol for setting up Internet communication sessions such as telephony and multimedia conferencing. SIP can also be used for new types of communications such as instant messaging and application level mobility across various networks and user devices

SMS is a digital cellular network mobile messaging feature. It enables the sending of short text messages to and from cell phones, Internet SMS messaging gateways, and e-mail addresses.

The standard Internet protocol for e-mail communication.

SOAP - Simple Object Access Protocol (8.4.1.1)

SOAP is a lightweight XML-based protocol for information exchange. It consists of several parts including an envelope enclosing the message contents (body and attachments) and processing instructions (header), a set of encoding rules for data types, and a convention for remote procedure calls and responses.

SPI defines a system-level contract for connection management, transaction management and security between a J2EE application server and resource adapters for enterprise information systems.

SQL is the standard language used to interface with relational databases.

SSI is a family of enhancements to clustered systems that provide unified interfaces to resources and services.

SSL is a protocol for transmitting private documents via the Internet. It works by using a public key to encrypt data in transit over an SSL connection.

STRUTS - (6.5.1.2)

Struts is an open source Model, View Controller (MVC) framework tool for J2EE applications

ONE is Sun's vision, architecture and platform combining its J2EE application server, enterprise integration and Web Services.

SWIFT is creating XML for messages that are part of end-to-end business transactions.

Telematics - (10.6.3)

Telematics are the systems that provide electronic data and applications to in-vehicle and mobile devices.

TINI is a combination of a small, powerful chip set and a Java environment developed by Dallas Semiconductor. The chip set provides processing, control, device-level communication and networking capabilities that are available by Java APIs. The iButton Java Ring was implemented using TINI.

TLS is being standardized by the IETF as a successor to the Security Sockets Layer (SSL) used for Web applications.

TPP is an optional ebXML standard for documenting the commercial, business and technical electronic messaging exchange capabilities for individual business partners.

UBL is an OASIS standard under development that will include a standard library of XML business documents by modifying an existing library of XML schemas (CommerceOne's cXML) to include the best features of other existing XML business libraries.

UN/CEFACT's mission is to improve the ability of organizations, from many different economies, to exchange products and relevant services effectively. One of their working groups EDIFACT developed the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standard. The ebXML initiative was originated by UN/CEFACT.

UNICORE - UNiform Interface to COmputing REsources (12.4.2)

UNICORE is a Global Grid system framework developed in Germany and used on the original version of the EuroGrid. UNICORE can be used as a job submission and tracking tool on top of Globus.

Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs also known as URLs) are strings that uniquely identify resources in the web. Historically URLs pointed at actual files while URIs were more abstract.

UML is a visual modeling language for software engineering. It uses twelve different types of diagrams to capture many aspects of system analysis and design. Some code generation capabilities are available in most UML tools.

Web services solutions.

WSML is a Microsoft specification for making COM objects available as Web Services. A WSML file provides information that maps the operations of a Web Service described in a WSDL file to methods in the COM object.

WSRP is an OASIS standard under development for defining an XML and Web Services standard that will enable the automated plugging of visual, user-facing Web Services into portals or other intermediary Web applications.

WTLS is a WAP Forum standard that provides functionality similar to the IETF's TLS. It also has extended functionality for wireless requirements such as datagram support, optimized handshake and dynamic key refreshing.

XACML is an OASIS XML specification under development for expressing policies for information access over the Internet. XACML will address fine-grained authorization including the affects of characteristics of the access requester, the protocol over which the request is made, and classes of activities. XACML is also expected to suggest a policy authorization model to guide implementers of the authorization

XBRL describes financial statements for both public and private companies.

xCBL is an XML component library and an associated business documents for B2B e-commerce. It is based on representations originally created by CommerceOne.

XKMS is a W3C protocol for distributing and registering public keys, XKMS has two parts - X-KISS and X-KRSS. X-KISS defines a protocol for a trust Web Service that resolves public key information contained in digital signatures. X-KRSS defines a protocol for a Web Service that accepts registration of public key information.

XML is the W3C standard universal format for structured Web documents and data. It has achieved very wide spread industrial acceptance.

XML/EDI is an XML version of the EDI standard for business-to-business communication.

XPDL is an XML format for exchanging process information between workflows under development by the WfMC.

XSL is the W3C standard language for expressing style sheets. It consists of three parts: XSL transformations (XSLT) for transforming XML documents, XPath to access or refer to parts of an XML document, and XSL Formatting Objects for the display of XML Web pages.

Java and Middleware Open Source Links

ObjectWeb Open Source Projects

Databases Links

Language Links

Linux Standard Base

Open Source Projects Links

Operating System Links

Web Browsers

SourceForge Open Source Repository

Apache Jakarta and Web Server

Jahia Content Management and Portal Server

JORAM JMS

EnhydraME

Morphis Transcoder

Nextel J2ME Toolkit

Legion