real world business interoperability

Real-World Business Real-World Business Interoperability. Interoperability. Connecting People, Data, & Diverse Connecting People, Data, & Diverse SystemsSystems

Jorgen ThelinJorgen ThelinConnected Systems Division, Microsoft Connected Systems Division, Microsoft CorporationCorporation

Erica MoeErica MoeAdminServer Inc.AdminServer Inc.

It gives customers control over the data they create and want to share

Vendors create innovative solutions that bridge technologies to address real customer needs in an innovative manner

The nature of software allows for translatability in lieu of uniformity

Interoperability means connecting people, data, and

diverse systems

DatabaseDatabase

ClearingHouse

Partner

IBMIBMMainframeMainframe

SAPSAP

ServicesServices

Many Systems == Development & Management Complexity

FTPFTP

HL7HL7

LDAP

LDAP

EDIEDI

WS-

WS-

**

DirectoryDirectory

Remote StoreRemote Store

SAPSAP

Ora

cle D

BO

racl

e D

B

SNASNA

DRDADRDATN

3270

TN3270

MQI

MQI

Oracle LOBOracle LOBSiebelSiebel

JD EdwardsJD Edwards

RLIO

RLIO

Tibco

Tibco

Clarify

Clarify

HTTPHTTP

TCP/IPTCP/IP

RosettaNetRosettaNet

UPnPUPnP

XML

XML

SwiftSwift

HIPAAHIPAAIB

M D

B2

IBM

DB2

Tera

data

Tera

data

(etc.)(etc.)

Your Your EnterpriseEnterprise

Why Interoperability?

Interoperability is Connecting People, Data and Diverse Systemshttp://www.microsoft.com/interop/

Interoperability is now as important to must customers as security or reliability

But interoperability is still just a means to an end

Interoperability helps to:Reduce costs / Improve operational efficienciesOpen access to new markets / Enable new business opportunities / Increase agilityMaximize choice of solutions and vendorsEnsure access to data across all applications

Achieving Interoperable Business

Factors required for business interoperability (5 P’s)

Interoperable CommunicationsPayloads – What to communicate – data formats

Protocols – How to communicate - message formats and exchange patterns

Processes – How to handle received communicationsPartners – Who does the process need to work with – both internal and externalPeople – Who operates the process and deals with exceptions

Insurance Case Study – Business Process

This case study is based on a real-world business process from the insurance industryFocusing on the underwriting part of the new business process

Insurance Case Study – Architecture Overview

Underwriter Business Process

Server

Mobile Laptop

`

Office Desktop

Mobile Tablet PC

Mobile PDA

`

Underwriter Approval

(if required)Self-service Web Site

ClientsData Fulfillment Services

Policy DB

Other Data Fulfillment Services

Attending Physician Statement (APS) Fulfillment Service

Para-medical Services eg. Telephone interview, Blood-works

Healthcare coverage (MIB) Check Fulfillment Service

Credit Check Fulfillment Service

Payload Formats“Build or Buy?”

XML is the standard way to define new interoperable payload formatsMany pre-existing “flat-file” formats exist too

Sometimes require translation / mapping between different formats

MetadataMetadata

Data Data FormatsFormats

ProtocolsProtocols

Major XML data formats are already defined in many industries and/or niches, for example:

•ACORD TXLife – Life Insurance

•RosettaNet PIPs – B2B trading partner transactions

•SWIFT – Inter-bank transfers & communications

•XBRL – Company accounting data reporting

Insurance Case Study – Message Flows

UnderwritingProcess

Fulfilling System Client

NBSS

Status Service

Ordering System Build 121

transaction

UnderwritingProcessClient

StatusClient

Fulfilling System

GRSS

GROS

Status Service

GRSS

Interfaces:

NBSS = New Business Submission ServiceGRSS = General Requirements Status ServiceGROS = General Requirements Order Service

(Loosely based on ACORD TXLife data model)

Status Client

Type 121 order request

Type 1122 response

Type 122 Status Req./Resp

Type 122 Status Request /Response

Type 103 request message

Interop Choices - Protocols

“Buy the Platform and then Build the config”

Concentrate on the interop capabilities you need for your application

E.g. Confidentiality, Reliability, Adressability

Select appropriate WS-* protocols in the appropriate places

E.g. WS-SecureConversation to protect long running conversation sessions

XMLXMLXMLXML

MessagingMessagingMessagingMessaging

SecuritySecuritySecuritySecurity TransactionsTransactionsTransactionsTransactionsReliable Reliable MessagingMessaging

Reliable Reliable MessagingMessaging

Met

adat

aM

etad

ata

Met

adat

aM

etad

ata

Recommendation:Use the WS-* Architecture as a “menu” to choose the desired interop config

Interop Configuration – Quality-of-Service ConsiderationsWhat’s the

business impact of:A message going missing

A message being delivered multiple times

Protect against multiple calls to services that are expensive to execute

Especially anything involving human workflow

Capabilities of interest here:•WS-ReliableMessaging

•Exactly-once delivery assurance•In-order delivery assurance

•WS-AtomicTransaction•Atomic

•WS-BusinessActivity•Long running conversation


Server

Mobile Laptop

`

Office Desktop

Mobile Tablet PC

Mobile PDA

`




Policy DB






Interop Configuration – Security ConsiderationsWhat is the business impact

of:

Interception of messages (confidentiality)

Message alteration (tamper-proofing)

Traffic routed through intermediary nodes

Disclosure of personally identifiable information

Required integrity guarantees

Overall non-repudiation requirements

Security processing overhead on throughput and latency

Capabilities of interest here:•WS-Security

•Basic XML encryption and signing, plus

representations for various security tokens

•WS-SecureConversation•Efficiently secure the exchange of multiple messages

in a session

•WS-Trust•Request and issue security tokens and to manage

trust relationships

•WS-Federation•Federation of identity and credentials across different

trust realms


Server

Mobile Laptop

`

Office Desktop

Mobile Tablet PC

Mobile PDA

`




Policy DB






Interop Configuration - Addressability

Some Addressability Decisions:

Directly Addressable

Nodes can communicate directly

Common Intranet configuration

Non-addressable

Nodes cannot communicate directly due to one or more firewalls or other blocks

Common B2B configuration

Relay

Nodes communicate through a relay service which both can connect to.

Common Extranet / VPN configuration

Emerging as an important Internet configuration

Addressable

Non-Addressable

Relay

Firewall Firewall

NAT NAT

Relay Service

Process Implementation

“Build or Buy?”BizTalk provides general purpose message processing, format mapping and workflow capabilities important in this exampleOr vertical industry package products like AdminServer provide automation of tailored business processesProcess definitions are often not shared externally if viewed as a source of competitive advantage – focus on message interoperability instead

Insurance Marketplace

Insurance is an important financial services market segmentMicrosoft works with ISV Partners to deliver full feature interoperable business solutions based on Microsoft platform products such as:

Windows Server System.NET / Windows Communication FoundationOfficeBizTalkSQL Server

AdminServer is a Microsoft ISV partner delivering a Policy Administration Server solution for the Insurance IndustryAdminServer is using XML and Web Services to enrich the interoperability of their product

Leverage system constructsEnterprise rules library Single repository for source codeCertified on numerous technology stacks

Modern Technology Platform

Component-basedServer-basedWeb-basedStandards-based

AdminServer – Systems Overview

AdminServer - Current Solution Set

AdminServer Administration SystemStraight Through Processing in support of policy life cycle for:

Term Whole LifeUniversal Life Variable ULIndexed UL Variable LifeFixed Annuity Variable AnnuityIndexed Annuities Immediate AnnuitiesAD&D/Supp Benefits Cancer/Critical IllnessVision/Dental Disability IncomeLong Term Care Medical/Health

UVServerUnit Value Pricing and Reconciliation

Reinsurance Full Reinsurance AdministrationIntegration with Rivers Wave

BPO/ITOOutsourcing for business processes and/or information technology in conjunction with certified business partners

AdminServer - Future Solution Set

Graphical Rules Interface (Beta)

IllustrationServer (2007)Illustrations and re-projectionsWealth management tools

NewBusinessServer (2007)Underwriting

DistributionServer (2008)Licensing and appointmentsHierarchy management

Client Management SystemCRM capabilitiesCentral Client repository

Property & CasualtyPersonal LinesCommercial Lines

Summary

Interoperability is connecting people, data, and diverse systems5-P’s to achieve full business interoperability:

Payload, Protocols, Process, Partners and People

XML and Web Services are the way to achieve high-fidelity, interoperable communicationsWS-* Architecture provides a “menu” of interoperability choicesFocus on architectural decision criteria such as reliability, security, addressability to create an interoperability profile for your system

Resources

Microsoft Interoperability Home Pagehttp://www.microsoft.com/interop

MSDN Web Services Home Pagehttp://msdn.microsoft.com/webservices

Microsoft Financial Services Industry Architecture Center

http://msdn.microsoft.com/FinServArch

AdminServerhttp://www.adminserver.com/

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Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation.

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