BEA Systems and IBM Sponsor Interactive Web Site for SOA and Web Services Business Process Standard

The OASIS international standards consortium today introduced a new XML.org online community web site dedicated to supporting the Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL) and related specifications. BPEL XML.org serves as the official information resource for the WS-BPEL OASIS Standard, which provides a method for formally describing business processes and business interaction protocols using Web services.

"BPEL has become an important standard for Service-Oriented Architectures," said Ed Cobb, VP, Emerging Technology & Standards at BEA. "OASIS has created this site as a way to enable users, developers, and vendors from around the world to share information and learn from one another."

All pages on BPEL XML.org are accessible by the public, and users are encouraged to contribute content. The site features a wiki knowledgebase of information on using and understanding BPEL. It also includes sections where readers can post related news, event information, listings for products and services, links to white papers, case studies, and other resources. Forums that support interactive discussions and blogs are also featured.

"Valuable information on BPEL is scattered throughout the Web on a multitude of web sites from vendors, publications, conferences, and other sources. BPEL XML.org aims to provide an easily navigable nexus point where people can go to quickly find the information they need," said Diane Jordan, Program Director for IBM Emerging Internet Software Standards. "It's also a 'watering hole' where people working with BPEL can come together to support one another."

BPEL is the newest addition to the XML.org family of web sites devoted to supporting communities around open standards; other sites include include DITA, ebXML, IDtrust, OpenDocument, and UDDI.