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Interop Tests Bring EPCIS Closer to Standard
"We were blessed in that we could all interoperate [on some level]," says Asher. "But we identified 50 separate issues that were preventing full interoperation." For example, some companies used time stamps from different time zones, preventing all of the software products from interpreting time stamps consistently. This was resolved by changing the specification to require parties to convey time in Zulu time (Greenwich Mean Time), with an option to allow the inclusion of the local time and time zone as well.
Asher says all issues found during testing sessions—or, in some cases, ambiguities in how the specification reads—have since been resolved, expect for one. He expects that final problem to be ironed out by next week. "None of the issues were big show-stoppers," says Ken Traub, chief technology officer for RFID and edge servers at BEA Systems, and the lead editor of the EPCIS specification.
Traub says he was surprised by the number of prototypical software products submitted for the testing sessions, adding that it's a good sign for end users of RFID since it shows there will likely be more than a few EPCIS-standardized software products on the market to choose from.
According to Asher, the EPCIS working group's next step, once the final interoperability glitch is worked out, is to revise the candidate standard and hold a vote to make it a proposed standard. Once it reaches this milestone, the group will seek approval from several technical and business committees within EPCglobal before sending it on to the board of governors for ratification as a standard. EPCglobal expects the board to ratify the standard by year's end.
Another important and related initiative, Asher says, is being addressed by a joint requirements group EPCglobal convened to develop requirements and guidelines for a specification that would provide a common vocabulary of business terms for all industries using the EPCglobal network. Having members use consistent business terms—whether in the fast-moving consumer goods, health-care/pharmaceutical or transportation and logistics industries—will facilitate pan-industry use of the EPCIS platform, he explains. Currently, companies in separate industries sometimes use different terminology for common business processes, such as shipping and receiving.
"To truly facilitate a cross-industry specification, we need a standard vocabulary," Asher notes. "We are actively working on the vocabulary, and we are all pushing forward on that."
Asher says all issues found during testing sessions—or, in some cases, ambiguities in how the specification reads—have since been resolved, expect for one. He expects that final problem to be ironed out by next week. "None of the issues were big show-stoppers," says Ken Traub, chief technology officer for RFID and edge servers at BEA Systems, and the lead editor of the EPCIS specification.
Traub says he was surprised by the number of prototypical software products submitted for the testing sessions, adding that it's a good sign for end users of RFID since it shows there will likely be more than a few EPCIS-standardized software products on the market to choose from.
According to Asher, the EPCIS working group's next step, once the final interoperability glitch is worked out, is to revise the candidate standard and hold a vote to make it a proposed standard. Once it reaches this milestone, the group will seek approval from several technical and business committees within EPCglobal before sending it on to the board of governors for ratification as a standard. EPCglobal expects the board to ratify the standard by year's end.
Another important and related initiative, Asher says, is being addressed by a joint requirements group EPCglobal convened to develop requirements and guidelines for a specification that would provide a common vocabulary of business terms for all industries using the EPCglobal network. Having members use consistent business terms—whether in the fast-moving consumer goods, health-care/pharmaceutical or transportation and logistics industries—will facilitate pan-industry use of the EPCIS platform, he explains. Currently, companies in separate industries sometimes use different terminology for common business processes, such as shipping and receiving.
"To truly facilitate a cross-industry specification, we need a standard vocabulary," Asher notes. "We are actively working on the vocabulary, and we are all pushing forward on that."
