The last time someone asked what exactly The Open Group’s mission is we didn’t hear back from it; but get ready because come June we’re going to hear plenty about IT DialTone. TOG’s already trademarked the name. As it should, because from what we hear it’s staking its future and its reputation on it. Like everyone and their dog, TOG’s decided to put the internet center stage. In its mind, if the internet is going to become a vehicle for conducting commercial business beyond sending email and creating web sites then it’s going to require some ubiquitous and robust security, distributed management, guaranteed delivery and other infrastructure services. It’s also got to be up and available at all times, to all people and to all applications, legacy too. For example, when America wakes up internet lights go dim across the rest of the globe. That’s not good, in its view. Borrowing from the concept of Web tone, which vendors such as IBM, Sun and Oracle have begun to trade in, TOG will pour all of its existing resources into creating specifications and standards for services that fulfill this IT DialTone vision. It will draw on relationships with internet, web and other IT groups and government agencies. Quite what kinds of groups, goals, and processes are created in pursuit of IT DialTone is up to TOG’s members and board, both of which meet in June when the proposals will be discussed.
THE OPEN GROUP BETS ITS FUTURE ON IT DIALTONE
