XML is taking over the world as we know it, having become the foundation for almost all of today’s Web services and most service-oriented architectures. XML is not a technology per se; it’s a programming language that supports developers devising their own custom tags for Web information. This allows that information to be shared by XML-aware applications that can interpret the tags and organize the data accordingly.
Recently, we’ve seen a spate of watershed XML-related events:
People have always talked about how application switching is the natural evolution from XML switching, and that application switching ultimately will be swallowed up by the router makers. But actually getting to the point where the router makers are putting XML switching in their systems, Intel is building XML accelerating and securing software, and Microsoft is converting age-tested document formats to XML - this says XML switching has arrived, and you’d better take notice.
The problem with XML is finding out who owns this market. Look at the above examples, and you’ve got a WAN network player, a software player and a chip manufacturer all heading in a similar direction.
So what’s a company to do about this? Well, the moves in software and applications are scarcely a surprise, but the network moves need your attention. The impact of XML switching - including acceleration and security - will take some figuring out. The problem is that many organizations already use prioritized switching for QoS for technologies such as VoIP, and use XML only in isolated ways, pending the Microsoft onslaught at the mass desktop level. You’ll find your CRM kicking out XML files to the branches, the finance department conforming to government XML guidelines, and even marketing toying with XML templates for partner and channel communications. This is one of those areas where the topic is so threaded throughout your organization that you have to do research to figure out what you’re dealing with.