INFRAWEBS Semantic Web Service Development on the Base of Knowledge Management Layer

The paper gives an overview about the ongoing FP6-IST INFRAWEBS project and describes the main layers and software components embedded in an application oriented realisation framework. An important part of INFRAWEBS is a Semantic Web Unit (SWU) – a collaboration platform and interoperable middleware for ontology-based handling and maintaining of SWS. The framework provides knowledge about a specific domain and relies on ontologies to structure and exchange this knowledge to semantic service development modules. INFRAWEBS Designer and Composer are sub-modules of SWU responsible for creating Semantic Web Services using Case-Based Reasoning approach. The Service Access Middleware (SAM) is responsible for building up the communication channels between users and various other modules. It serves as a generic middleware for deployment of Semantic Web Services. This software toolset provides a development framework for creating and maintaining the full-life-cycle of Semantic Web Services with specific application support.

Transparent Scheduling of Composite Web Services

Composite Web Services (CWS) aggregate multiple Web Services in one logical unit to accomplish a complex task (e.g. business process). This aggregation is achieved by defining a workflow that orchestrates the underlying Web Services in a manner consistent with the desired functionality. Since CWS can aggregate atomic and other CWS they foster the development of service layers and reuse of already existing functionality. An important issue in the deployment of services is their run-time performance under various loads. Due to the complex interactions of the underlying services, a CWS they can exhibit problematic and often difficult to predict behaviours in overload situations. This paper focuses on the use of request scheduling for improving CWS performance in overload situations. Different scheduling policies are investigated in regards to their effectiveness in helping with bulk arrivals.

A Survey on the Integration of Enterprise Applications as a Service

The present paper discusses the process of multi-lateral integration of the business applications, which requires the construction of a common infra-structure, acquires the format of a service and leads to release of the individual construction of a private infra-structure by every participant in the process.

INFRAWEBS BPEL-Based Editor for Creating the Semantic Web Services Description

INFRAWEBS project [INFRAWEBS] considers usage of semantics for the complete lifecycle of Semantic Web processes, which represent complex interactions between Semantic Web Services. One of the main initiatives in the Semantic Web is WSMO framework, aiming at describing the various aspects related to Semantic Web Services in order to enable the automation of Web Service discovery, composition, interoperation and invocation. In the paper the conceptual architecture for BPEL-based INFRAWEBS editor is proposed that is intended to construct a part of WSMO descriptions of the Semantic Web Services. The semantic description of Web Services has to cover Data, Functional, Execution and QoS semantics. The representation of Functional semantics can be achieved by adding the service functionality to the process description. The architecture relies on a functional (operational) semantics of the Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL4WS) and uses abstract state machine (ASM) paradigm. This allows describing the dynamic properties of the process descriptions in terms of partially ordered transition rules and transforming them to WSMO framework.

webComputing Service Framework

Presented is webComputing – a general framework of mathematically oriented services including remote access to hardware and software resources for mathematical computations, and web interface to dynamic interactive computations and visualization in a diversity of contexts: mathematical research and engineering, computer-aided mathematical/technical education and distance learning. webComputing builds on the innovative webMathematica technology connecting technical computing system Mathematica to a web server and providing tools for building dynamic and interactive web-interface to Mathematica-based functionality. Discussed are the conception and some of the major components of webComputing service: Scientific Visualization, Domain- Specific Computations, Interactive Education, and Authoring of Interactive Pages.

Use of Start Pages for Building a Mashup Personal Learning Environment to Support Self-Organized Learners

The paper explores the functionalities of eight start pages and considers their usefulness when used as a mashable platform for deployment of personal learning environments (PLE) for self-organized learners. The Web 2.0 effects and eLearning 2.0 strategies are examined from the point of view of how they influence the methods of gathering and capturing data, information and knowledge, and the learning process. Mashup technology is studied in order to see what kind of components can be used in PLE realization. A model of a PLE for self-organized learners is developed and it is used to prototype a personal learning and research environment in the start pages Netvibes, Pageflakes and iGoogle.

Extending Object-Oriented Network Protocols via alternative Transportation Bindings (Web Services over XMPP)

Distributed and/or composite web applications are driven by intercommunication via web services, which employ application-level protocols, such as SOAP. However, these protocols usually rely on the classic HTTP for transportation. HTTP is quite efficient for what it does — delivering web page content, but has never been intended to carry complex web service oriented communication. Today there exist modern protocols that are much better fit for the job. Such a candidate is XMPP. It is an XML-based, asynchronous, open protocol that has built-in security and authentication mechanisms and utilizes a network of federated servers. Sophisticated asynchronous multi-party communication patterns can be established, effectively aiding web service developers. This paper’s purpose is to prove by facts, comparisons, and practical examples that XMPP is not only better suited than HTTP to serve as middleware for web service protocols, but can also contribute to the overall development state of web services.

Modernizing Legacy Physics Applications for Reuse in Web and SOA

This paper concerns the application of recent information technologies for creating a software system for numerical simulations in the domain of plasma physics and in particular metal vapor lasers. The presented work is connected with performing modernization of legacy physics software for reuse on the web and inside a Service-Oriented Architecture environment. Applied and described is the creation of Java front-ends of legacy C++ and FORTRAN codes. Then the transformation of some of the scientific components into web services, as well as the creation of a web interface to the legacy application, is presented. The use of the BPEL language for managing scientific workflows is also considered.

Fast Information Retrieval in the Open Grid Service Architecture

This is an extended version of an article presented at the Second International Conference on Software, Services and Semantic Technologies, Sofia, Bulgaria, 11–12 September 2010.

Evaluating the Quality of Student Web Design Projects

Иван Шотлеков, Асен Рахнев - В настоящата работа се представя набор от критерии за оценяване на качеството на студентски проекти за уеб дизайн. Критериите са подходящи за разработване, самооценяване, колегиално оценяване и оценка на уеб сайтове, проектирани от студенти. Тази оценъчна скала е апробирана по време на курс “Английски език в информационните технологии”, проведен със студенти от първи курс по информатика във Факултета по математика и информатика на Пловдивски университет “Паисий Хилендарски”. Тя помага на студентите при разработването на мултидисциплинарен проект за уеб дизайн да придобият не само технически умения, свързани с проектирането на качествени уеб сайтове, но и някои процесуални умения, които ще им бъдат необходими в реалната практика.