Overview
ISO/IEC 10728:1993/Amd 3:1996 is an important amendment to the international standard defining the Information Resource Dictionary System (IRDS) Services Interface. This amendment introduces a CORBA IDL (Common Object Request Broker Architecture Interface Definition Language) binding to the IRDS Services Interface, enhancing interoperability and supporting distributed object-oriented systems.
Published by ISO and IEC, the amendment updates certain clauses and adds a new Annex E dedicated to CORBA IDL binding. By aligning IRDS service definitions with CORBA IDL, this standard facilitates seamless interaction between diverse information technology systems in open distributed processing environments.
Key Topics
- Information Resource Dictionary System (IRDS): A standardized framework for managing metadata about information resources in IT environments.
- CORBA IDL Binding: The new binding specified in Annex E defines the interface in CORBA IDL, enabling IRDS services to be accessed via CORBA-compliant middleware.
- Interface Definition: The amendment provides detailed object classes, service operations, and data type mappings between SQL types and CORBA IDL.
- Service Operations: Services such as IRD definition creation, session management (open, commit, rollback), object management (add, modify, delete), cursor management, and schema validation are all adapted for CORBA IDL access.
- Data Types and Structures: Defines precise mappings of SQL data types to CORBA IDL types including strings, floats, integers, dates, timestamps, and intervals.
- Class Architecture: The amendment outlines a class structure visible through CORBA interfaces categorized under sessions and service processors.
- Normative Annex E: Annex E is normative, providing the actual CORBA IDL interface definitions in a modular structure with detailed service methods.
Applications
- Open Distributed Systems: Enables IRDS metadata services to be integrated into heterogeneous, networked, and distributed enterprise environments.
- Interoperability: Supports various programming languages and platforms by leveraging CORBA standards allowing multi-vendor system cooperation.
- Metadata Management: Facilitates consistent storage, retrieval, and management of metadata about data resources, essential for large-scale IT infrastructure.
- Database and Information Systems: IRDS via CORBA IDL binding supports advanced database schema governance, integrity enforcement, and real-time metadata access.
- Software Development: Enhances developers’ ability to build applications targeting IRDS services using CORBA-compliant tools and IDL compilers.
- Enterprise Architecture: Assists in maintaining standardized and reusable data definitions and services across business units and IT systems.
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC 10728:1993: The original standard defining IRDS Services Interface without CORBA IDL binding.
- ISO/IEC 9075:1992 (SQL Standard): Provides SQL data type definitions relevant to mapping types in IRDS.
- CORBA Specifications (Object Management Group): Foundation specifications defining IDL and middleware supporting distributed object communication.
- ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 21: The subcommittee responsible for open systems interconnection, distributed processing, and data management standards.
- ISO/IEC 11404: Foreign language bindings for interfaces, possibly complementary for IRDS implementations.
- Related IRDS Amendments: Previous amendments introducing other language bindings (Pascal, C, Ada) referenced in this amendment.
This amendment to ISO/IEC 10728 significantly advances IT interoperability by leveraging CORBA IDL and modern middleware approaches. It is essential for organizations aiming to implement or enhance IRDS-compliant metadata management in distributed and complex IT environments, ensuring adherence to international standards for service interfaces and data resource descriptions.