Beta Spec of XML for Analysis Woven into .NET

ENT, Jan 29, 2001 by Alicia Costanza

Microsoft's beta specification for XML for Analysis is another step that further extends Redmond's .NET strategy.

The new protocol will enable developers to create analytic applications on any platform using any programming language. "It uses XML, SOAP, and HTTP, and is an extension to OLE DB for OLAP and OLE DB for data mining," says John Eng, lead product manager for SQL Server at Microsoft.

Microsoft expects the new specification to make business intelligence more available to users in remote locations. "It broadens out the number of people that can access it. We call it 'BI for the masses,"' Eng says. "The data source is in the enterprise, but now you open it up to all different users. That makes BI accessible for everyone."

Since the .NET strategy is about using the Internet as a platform, this latest XML specification extends Microsoft's .NET strategy. "The specification itself allows users to write applications that leverage the Internet," Eng says.

Mike Schiff, vice president of e-business and business intelligence at Cur rent Analysis, agrees that the specification bears great significance for .NET. "XML for Analysis represents a major piece of the enabling technology for the Microsoft .NET framework and is of major importance to Microsoft as it moves the software battlefield from the desktop to the Web," he says. "XML for Analysis serves to publicize the .NET initiative, open it to non-Windows clients, and add to its momentum."

Steve Murchie, group product manager of SQL Server at Microsoft, says, "A key part of the .NET strategy is enabling applications, and a key part of that is XML. The XML for Analysis protocol is built upon the same technology."

While XML is important to Microsoft and its .NET strategy, the significance of it spans well beyond. This is why Microsoft felt it was so vital to get other vendors involved in the review of the new specification.

After designing a prebeta draft of the specification, Microsoft passed the draft around to its partners and other vendors involved with the specification for input. After the initial review, Microsoft used the input to clean up the specification, and then it presented the protocol and sample applications to over 100 users at the design review. Those users then took the specification back to their respective organizations for feedback. The result of this process is the beta specification for XML for Analysis.

Microsoft goes through this process so it can offer customers more variety when choosing a business intelligence (BI) vendor. "Only with agreement between vendors can we achieve any kind of goal. We work with key vendors, application vendors, and customers so that we know the ease of building applications is there," Murchie says. "Ultimately it makes the cost lower, availability ubiquitous. The benefit to customers is more choice, lower cost, and more features."

Schiff says the specification will benefit customers, but it will benefit Microsoft and its partners, as well. "We expect to see many industry vendors, especially Microsoft partners, embrace XML for Analysis and incorporate it with their own offerings. Many of the 50-plus vendors that were part of the prebeta review process fall into this product category. We expect many of them will gladly jump into Microsoft .NET, and will be encouraged by Microsoft to do so."

Microsoft expects to have the beta software development kit available during the first quarter, and to have the final specification complete in the first half of this year. The beta specification is available for download at: www.microsoft.com/data.