xml-dev - Re: Asynchronous message queue by SMTP&POP3

["Jonathan Borden" <jborden@mediaone.net>]

KenNorth wrote:
> From: Jonathan Borden <jborden@mediaone.net>
> > It is a trivial task to send an XML document/message over SMTP using
MIME.
> > There already exists open software to do SMTP,MIME and XML processing.
Is
> > there something else being looked for?
>
> Asynchronous message queueing is often a requirement of high-reliability
> applications (e.g., funds transfer). It provides guaranteed delivery and
the
> ability of one side of a connection to continue operating when the other
> side is not available for synchronous messaging. It's like having
voicemail
> as a backup when you cannot reach another person. It's also used when load
> balancing is required.
>

    We are back to the content vs. transport issue. XML is content.
SMTP/HTTP are transports. It is usually no problem to stuff an XML document
into a message and send it along using whatever transport is desired. For
reliable async messaging, there are proprietary messaging systems available
from IBM, MS etc. etc.  Just as HTTP is layered on top of TCP/IP one can
layer a transactional/reliability protocol on top of SMTP, but doing this is
not about XML per se, rather the domain of stuff like TIP, XA-Open etc. etc.

Jonathan Borden