It seems the object world needs something more to get these Corba Common Object Request Broker systems and applications actually talking to each other, and in the Object Management Group’s mind that extra something is asynchronous messaging services, reports this week’s Unigram.X. The problem is that object request brokers built to the group’s Corba specifications, whose job it is to get different object environments talking to each other, assume a dedicated and constant connection. Some kind of asynchronous, off-line message queuing system is obviously required for real world situations, especially in workflow environments, which is why the Object Management Group has asked for submissions that could form the basis of a messaging specification for use with Corba. There’s plainly a head of steam gathering in the asynchronous messaging world, where IBM Corp’s MQSeries looks set to swamp all-comers. However, smaller fry such as Peerlogic Inc are determined not to go down without a fight. So far, submissions to the Request for Proposal have been received, from Expersoft Corp; Peerlogic and Novell Inc; Peerlogic, Digital Equipment Corp, Iona Technologies Ltd, NCR Corp and Suite Software Inc; DEC, ICL Ltd, Novell, Peerlogic and Visigenic Software Inc; Northern Telecom Ltd; and Tibco Inc. The initial submissions must be whittled down to a single specification by defection or collaboration, which is due on April 14, in time to be voted on by the Object Management Group’s object request broker object services taskforce in Stresa, Italy in May. The group’s board will then have to give it their approval, probably in July. A product could arrive around a year afterwards.
