Breaking News - Operating Systems & Middleware:

OMG Starts On Extensions To Middleware Infrastructure Standards

Members of the Object Management Group (OMG) started work on four extensions to standards in Software-Defined Radio (SDR) and middleware infrastructure, and completed an upgrade of the CORBA security protocol, during the organization's Technical Meeting last week in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, sponsored by Osellus.

Software Radio, CORBA Standards Work Initiated In Montreal

OMG members issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) defining requirements and deadlines for three new standards, and a fast-track Request for Comment (RFC) for another. Separate RFPs from the Software-Based Communications Domain Task Force will define digital Intermediate Frequency (IF) radio components and Smart Antenna Systems for the US Department of Defense's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). OMG and the JTRS Joint Program Office are working together to populate the JTRS with specifications based on the Software Communications Architecture and defined in OMG's Model Driven Architecture (MDA).

The other two new standards will extend CORBA: A new RFP calls for a binding to Web Services Definition Language (WSDL), while a fast-track RFC adoption will define a set of reflective interfaces for CORBA objects. Any interested company may comment on the RFC, or join OMG and submit in response to these RFPs.

Open Requests for Information Concerning Agent-based System Modeling, Business Rules, C4I, Software Radio And Space Systems

OMG issues a Request for Information (RFI) before starting work in a new area to gather information about needs or offerings, existing or emerging standards, and anything else relating to its topic. Any interested party, OMG member or not, may respond to an RFI. In Montreal, OMG opened an RFI in UML Modeling of Agent-Based Systems. Other open RFIs cover Business Rules Management, Software Radar Interfaces, Software Defined Radio Common Services, and two topics relating to Space: a Ground Operations Automation Language, and Space Ground Segment Resource Scheduling.

Security Protocol Upgrade Starts Final Votes

Members completed their evaluation of SECP 1.2, an upgrade to OMG's secure CORBA protocol, and started the series of votes leading to official adoption.

Tutorials, Information Days, Sponsor Presentation And Software Demonstrations

During the meeting week, OMG and members presented four half-day tutorials on its various specifications. Special events highlighted work in Robotics and Life Science Research. Member companies demonstrated software products implementing OMG specifications.

Omid Hodaie, CEO of meeting sponsor Osellus, spoke to the meeting on "Software Process Automation."