Stylus Studio, which bills itself as the industry-leading provider of XML development tools and data integration components for XML and legacy data integration, has announced the availability of a new groundbreaking video tutorial entitled: An Introduction to XML Schema Development with Stylus Studio.

UModel 2006 presents a rich visual interface and trouble-free, advanced capabilities that help level the UML learning curve and enhance developer productivity by making software modeling easy and fun, the company says.

HostBridge Technology, the provider of HostBridge software for XML-enabling CICS,announced that CA has certified the HostBridge integration software as interoperable with Advantage CA-Ideal for CA-Datacom (Advantage CA-Ideal), enabling organizations to integrate Advantage CA-Ideal applications with Web services platforms, application servers, or other host applications.

When we need to store XML in a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) we have to think of nonnative ways to store it, since the structure of XML does not fit the flat relations of the RDBMSs. Although some RDBMS vendors support XML storage and XQuery such as Oracle 10g (release 2), this support is not yet common. Some of the well-known RDBMSs are Oracle, DB2, Informix, Sybase IQ, SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. If you have one of these products, or a similar product, you should be interested in reading this article.

HTML forms are one of the best-known techniques for gathering data from a user and submitting that data to a server. However, HTML forms are only simple tools and don't natively support some of the features needed by current Web applications such as sophisticated data validation. Also, the user interface created by HTML forms is essentially hard coded for one device, meaning the same form can't be easily re-tasked for, say, PDAs or mobile phones.

The Codehaus XFire team has announced their 1.0 release. XFire is an open source Java SOAP framework built on a high performance, streaming XML model. XFire includes support for web service standards, an easy to use API, Spring integration, JBI support, and plugable bindings for POJOs, JAXB, and XMLBeans.

Dr Michael Kay argues that developers shouldn't throw away flexibility and adaptability by writing applications that freeze the app's data structure into Java or C# classes, rather than keeping both things by writing the logic in high-level XML processing languages (notably XSLT and XQuery) with individual components linked together in a pipeline processing framework.

In this second article about service-oriented architecture (SOA), I offer a concrete plan, along with tips and insights, to help you build an effective SOA roadmap, and to help ensure the success of your SOA initiative.

Web services have evolved from plain application-integration enablers to value-added stand-alone functionality providers such as getting a quote to a comprehensive business function like processing orders. Enterprises are exploiting this new revenue model by offering such business functions as services on usage basis. Information sharing instances such as Amazon's e-commerce services have helped in the creation of new powerful solutions using business functions as services.

One of the business benefits organizations strive to achieve by implementing a service-oriented architecture (SOA) or in utilizing Web services is the opportunity to reuse business components. Asset reuse is one of the core drivers of the SOA or Web service ROI calculation. Although leveraging the service concept provides an avenue for application consolidation and reuse, these same efficiencies also introduce a distinct level of business risk.

The notion of building bridges to service providers and managing the interaction will become more commonplace in 2006 as we learn to accept that many services we leverage within an enterprise are services we may not host. The technology exists today. We need to define and refine our approaches now, including architectures, enabling technology, and use of standards. Most enterprises are way behind.

MetaMatrix announced MetaMatrix Dimension 5, a new product for data service design and execution, that helps application teams quickly make relational and file-based data available as XML schema-compliant Web services for service oriented architecture (SOA)-based applications. In addition, the company announced MetaMatrix Enterprise 5, an enhanced version of its flagship product that incorporates improved performance and ease of use.

Most organizations today are moving steadily toward implementing a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) for standards-based software interoperability. However, SOA projects are significantly delayed or fail due to the challenges of making data accessible and interoperable. With Web services and enterprise service buses (ESBs), we have tackled some of the basic connectivity problems, but data is still not in a form that can be used.

Typically when we think about security for a Web service, our focus is on how to protect it from unauthorized and malicious users. Thus, we tend to concentrate on such things as authentication of the requestor, checking to see that the requestor is authorized to access the service, validation of the request message, and so forth - all things that happen on the way in or during a request for the service. However, there is an equally important set of security functions that need to occur on the way out or after the service has finished processing the request.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) has emerged as a key strategy for IT and line-of-business executives to jointly enhance business performance and agility in today's intense corporate climate. Using the SOA methodology, business applications are built as an assembly of loosely coupled pieces of business functionality, commonly referred to as services. These services are published, consumed, and combined with other applications over a shared services network, which is often highly distributed within and across enterprise boundaries.

'Led by The Father of 'AJAX' himself, the charismatic Jesse James Garrett of Adaptive Path, 'Real-World AJAX' has one overriding organizing principle: its aim is to make sure that delegates fortunate enough to secure themselves a place - before all seats are sold out - will leave the seminar with a sufficient grasp of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML to enable them to build their first AJAX application on their own when they get back to their office,' said Jeremy Geelan, conference chair and editorial director of SYS-CON Media. 'As if the participation in this content-rich day of the man who first coined 'AJAX' weren't enough, 'Real-World AJAX' also offers insights from the leading authorities on AJAX technology.'

DocSoft says its new enterprise search technology, called 'Element' unleashes the power of structured data within a company's repository. With Element as a plug-n-play addition to a company's network, users will be able to search for stored data across the network 'smarter,' thus more efficiently, the company says. Element indexes XML-originated documents according to each tag or 'element,' which provides what the company calls 'context searching.' Element can even search metadata embedded into virtually any file format using Adobe's eXtensible Metadata Platform (XMP).

Computer security specialist Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford's character) is a top executive who has built his career on designing top anti-theft computer systems in the industry. His job provides his family a comfortable life. But there's a vulnerability in Jack's system that he has not accounted. It's a vulnerability that a ruthless and resourceful thief is poised to exploit.

Stylus Studio has announced the availability of what it calls a new groundbreaking video tutorial, 'Learn Stylus Studio in 6 minutes!' The online video demonstration provides a comprehensive overview of all award-winning XML productivity tools included in Stylus Studio.

Nexaweb has been seeing rapid RIA adoption in Japan, particularly in the financial industry, and so has entered into a strategic alliance with Hitachi Systems and Services, Ltd. (Hitachi Systems), one of the largest providers of systems integration services in Japan.

SYS-CON Media has announced the results of its 10th annual 'Readers' Choice Awards' for best technologies, products and tools in the SOA, Web Services, Java, .NET, Linux, ColdFusion, Macromedia MX and XML spaces.

DataDirect, whose own branded XQuery product is an XQuery implementation for applications that need to process both XML and relational data sources, has announced the availability of a new interview with XQuery guru and co-inventor, Jonathan Robie.

Every major chip manufacturer has delivered or announced a roadmap for multicore chips that have multiple CPUs on the same piece of silicon. Systems developers are now designing these chips into their entire product line. For Java platform developers, Symmetric Multiprocessing Systems (SMP) should be hidden well below the hardware abstraction layer, but not all applications will get equal benefits from SMP without understanding what's going on under the hood.

Ziff Davis announced today the launch of SmartCompany.com, adding to its growing portfolio of over 50 consumer and enterprise technology websites. SmartCompany.com provides entrepreneurs, owners and technology professionals at small businesses with timely, targeted information about the technology solutions that will help their companies grow and become profitable more quickly.

Oracle today announced the latest releases of Oracle(R) Internal Controls Manager and Oracle Financial Consolidation Hub, part of the Oracle E-Business Suite. The new versions will help to ensure the quality and transparency of financial information across the enterprise by integrating the preparation of financial statements with the periodic evaluation of a company's internal controls.

There is still enough hype around service-oriented architecture (SOA) that it's difficult to get a handle on the realities of implementation. While most IT managers now understand what an SOA can do for IT, many still need help figuring out how to get started. New questions about management, reuse, and legacy applications are also emerging as more and more companies think about how to adopt SOA solutions.

Ajax is an odd beast, because it gives a very rich user experience when compared to a traditional web page (Yakov writes wonderfully about this at http://java.sys-con.com/r ead/163232.htm), however apart from that it?s hard to figure out what is so great about it. Good technology wins in the long run because of tooling (something Microsoft know and excelt at), so what is the lure of Ajax? I think it?s simply that it allows logic be put in one file ? in your HTML (or servlet, JSP, ASP or whatever kicks out HTML) you write your server logic and your client logic together.

If you're old enough, you probably remember the whole episode with Al Haig in the White House, saying 'I'm in charge here' during the period when Reagan was shot. He wasn't really, but it's a good illustration of the concept of confusion, and how different people react to situations. How is this relevant to SOA and Web services? That's an excellent question.

IBM today announced availability of newreleases of its core IBM® Workplace(TM) products, including WorkplaceCollaboration Services 2.6, Workplace Managed Client(TM) 2.6, WorkplaceForms(TM) 2.6 and Workplace Designer 2.6. The 2.6 versions of theseproducts include more than 50 new features and functions, includingenhancements to cross-platform and open standards support. Along withWebSphere Portal, the Workplace family of products help provide thefront-end to IBM's Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) strategy.

webMethods, Inc. , a leading business integration and optimization software company, today announced the appointment of Marc Breissinger to the position of chief technology officer (CTO), effective immediately. In his new capacity, he will serve as a member of the company's executive management team. Breissinger had previously served as the company's chief architect, leading efforts supporting the development of the webMethods Fabric(TM) product suite.

Zimbra (http://www.zimbra.com/), a leader in open source, next-generation collaboration and messaging, today introduced Zimlets, a mechanism for integrating the Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) with third-party information systems and content.

Do you love XML? Have you been using XML with SQL Server? Many people have, starting way back when with SQL Server 7.0. Back then, there was no support for XML in the database, so we had to write external programs to convert the relational data into an XML format. This was time-consuming and often inefficient. When SQL Server 2000 came out, with its integrated support for XML, there were a lot of high expectations. Unfortunately, XML still couldn't be easily stored in the database, although it could be created and consumed.

The Deputy Treasurer and Budget Officer of New York's Tioga County has gone on record as to the secret behind ithe county's ability to streamline the distribution of information and eliminate the potential for human errors as it processes a wide variety of forms for human resource and finance applications: it's an enterprise-class report and document management solution called infoWEB.

Skyway Software, the award winning provider ofSOA design and delivery solutions, announced today that Bill Irwin is nowtaking on the role of Vice President of Sales. With more than 18 yearsexperience in sales and sales management positions in high technology,Irwin is now responsible for the strategic leadership of the SkywaySoftware sales team.

StrikeIron and salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM) announced that StrikeIron will be offering its subscription based Web services to salesforce.com customers via the salesforce.com AppExchange. Salesforce.com customers can now add live business demographics, data verification and cleansing capabilities and a long list of additional functionality simply by adding Web services from the StrikeIron Web Services Marketplace. These Web services are immediately available for test drive and deployment at www.appexchange.com, in conjunction with the Salesforce Winter ?06 release.

The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) - stewards, incubators, and developers of leading Open Source projects, including the Apache HTTP Server, the world's most popular Web server software for ten years running - reflects on its activities and milestones achieved during 2005.

Today, Mercury Interactive Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: MERQ) , the global leader in business technology optimization (BTO) software, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Systinet Corporation, a privately held company, for $105.0 million in cash.

Dice Inc., the leading online career site that helps businesses source technology and engineering professionals, and Targeted Job Fairs, a leading provider of career fairs for technology and engineering candidates nationwide and a Dice company, will host two technology and engineering job fairs on January 17, 2006 and January 18, 2006 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Dulles EXPO & Conference Center and the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel respectively. Admission is free.

the Zimbra Collaboration Suite. Built on open source technology, the Zimbra Collaboration Suite will fundamentally change the way people interact with e-mail by fixing the most frustrating problems for users and administrators. Currently available as a Beta, the messaging server and client will be generally available in November.

Composite Application Integrator (CAI), Software AG's powerful design and runtime environment for combining Web services into rich composite internet applications now supports Google maps. CAI is the first AJAX based product to include a Google maps control.