OASIS
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OASIS
OASIS has a moderate fee structure and a technical committee structure that is similar in many respects to the other bodies in this report. The group is the go-to organization for XML developments in vertical industries, providing specifications for describing and structuring data in XML format.
The mailing lists for each of OASIS technical committees are separated into public and members-only categories, so it isnt always easy for those who cant pony up the membership fees to get the latest scoop on proceedings.
Of the many areas in which OASIS works, IT managers should pay especially close attention to its work on SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language), which became an OASIS standard last November. Like a standard proposed by the Web Services Interoperability Organization—a vendor-dominated body—OASIS SAML is an attempt to remove some of the biggest hurdles to Web services implementation: a lack of security, interoperability and authorization/ authentication protocols.
Despite OASIS restrictive mail lists, it is still possible to glean quite a bit of information from reports posted by the technical committees. And the industry-specific nature of the technical committees may make it easier to justify a budget line item for OASIS membership.
Senior Analyst Cameron Sturdevant is at cameron_sturdevant@ziffdavis.com.
Cameron Sturdevant has been with the Labs since 1997, and before that paid his IT management dues at a software publishing firm working with several Fortune 100 companies. Cameron also spent two years with a database development firm, integrating applications with mainframe legacy programs. Cameron's areas of expertise include virtual and physical IT infrastructure, cloud computing, enterprise networking and mobility, with a focus on Android in the enterprise. In addition to reviews, Cameron has covered monolithic enterprise management systems throughout their lifecycles, providing the eWEEK reader with all-important history and context. Cameron takes special care in cultivating his IT manager contacts, to ensure that his reviews and analysis are grounded in real-world concern. Cameron is a regular speaker at Ziff-Davis Enterprise online and face-to-face events. Follow Cameron on Twitter at csturdevant, or reach him by email at csturdevant@eweek.com.
