The specs cover Service Component Architecture (SCA), which specify the component structure itself; and Service Data Objects (SDO), which encapsulates access to data.
The new members included Cape Clear, which offers ESB technology; Interface21, which developed the popular Spring framework for Java; Primeton Technologies, a developer of component technologies based in China; Progress Software (formerly Sonic Software), which offers an ESB; Red Hat, Rogue Wave Software, a developer of C++ tooling; Software AG; Sun Microsystems; and TIBCO Software, Inc
They join existing backers BEA, IBM, Iona, Oracle, SAP AG, Sybase, Xcalia, and Zend.
According to Ed Cobb, who handles standards activities at BEA, the thrust of the latest enhancements were around simplifying use of the component standards. Fore instance, it provides a declarative approach to specifying policies, such as security levels, which reduces the need to write code. Support for PHP and and BPEL (Business Process Execution Language) was also added.
Additionally, draft specifications for Service Assembly; Java and C++ service authoring; and SDO have been updated.
The group also announced that they hoped to choose a standards body to submit the proposed specifications by the end of the year. By emphasizing that they would look for a body that supported model-driven development, the group inferred that the Object Management Group (OMG) would be the likely candidate.
As part of a goal to solicit more input from the community, the group has opened up a website that would publish the specifications and related documentation, and make available reference implementations.
