Princeton, NJ and Austin, TX The Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC), the global standards organization, today announced that it will sponsor a Global Interoperability Conformance Testing Program for e-business software supplier to ensure vertical and horizontal interoperability within the supply chain. The UCC has retained the services of the Drummond Group, Inc., an interoperability conformance consultancy, to operate and manage the testing process.
This broad-based initiative is in response to the dramatic increase of Internet-based electronic commerce communication. The rapidly changing e-business environment requires software products and standards to constantly interface, encompassing numerous business processes, trading partners, and software systems. For companies engaged in electronic commerce, software interoperability is vital, and its absence can add significant supply chain costs. The wide range of software and system divergences forces organizations to support a variety of different integration solutions, including multiple platforms or proprietary protocols. The UCC-sponsored interoperability testing program will ensure that different software offerings can work together in system-to-system communication for improved supply chain management.
The program will bring together software vendors, vertical industries, and the standards community in a neutral, standards-based testing environment that simulates real-world operating conditions. The Drummond Group has developed a robust interoperability matrix-testing suite that will enable vendors to thoroughly test and perfect their products against other participating vendors. Vendors will participate in all tests in order to keep their products current with standards and meet the changing business needs of the user community.
Mike DiYeso, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the UCC said, "The Internet provides an accessible and cost-efficient gateway for electronic commerce, but the lack of software interoperability has added unnecessary communication obstacles and expense to the process. In order to maximize supply chain efficiency, the software solutions that drive e-business and standards implementation must be built on a global foundation of interoperability. Our program will address this critical issue and enable users to select software vendors with confidence. This will allow them to focus their energy and resources on building their business, not the costs of doing business."
Rik Drummond, the Drummond Group's CEO and Chief Scientist said, "In today's B2B marketplace, companies must deal with an overwhelming array of technology standards and software options. Inefficient integration can be very costly, making interoperability absolutely essential. This program will provide a non-competitive venue for vendors to test and correct their software products to ensure they can work together seamlessly. This will be an enormous benefit to users, who will be able to select certified solution providers to streamline and simplify the integration process."
