Aftermarket Insider Issue 69 - (Page 8)

T EC H N o l o G y U P DAT E online and on-demand Web Service Apps for the Aftermarket Today there are more than 300,000 Apps in the Apple store. And Apple engineers are only responsible for a very small number of those. The rest were developed by entrepreneurs and innovators who saw a need and an opportunity. Using a set of tools and standards set forth by Apple (the Software Developers Kit), they were able to quickly develop applications that connect the iPhone and iPad to other applications and information sources on the Web. Imagine the automotive aftermarket business challenges that could be addressed with that same creativity. Web services are the primary building blocks for developers today because they can loosely couple applications and data resources that are exposed to the Internet without the time and expense required for traditional application integration. The type of Web services AAIA defines operate in the space between corporate firewalls, and in fact, don’t care about the specifics of the database or software on the other side of these walls. This explains how developers can create so many specialized applications so quickly. There are three things you need if you are going to create Web services and have them widely usable: Metadata – These are the “words” that will comprise the applications. The more they are standardized the more reusability and interoperability results. Components – Security, authentication and basic message elements are necessary in building industry-specific services. Web services are the primary building blocks for developers today because they can loosely couple applications and data resources that are exposed to the internet without the time and expense required for traditional application integration. Governance – Without it you have chaos. There must be an organized process that manages the development activity, validates and tests the end product and provides a method for users to discover the services. The Technology Standards Committee of AAIA has created a Web services development environment and invites developers around the world to use the standards-based components to solve the urgent business needs of the industry. Today AAIA has the following resources available: • More than 880 metadata definitions, cataloged, searchable with use case examples. • Standard operating procedures for initiating, tracking, testing and recognizing a successful development project. • Web service components and best practices that have been proven effective in early Web service development efforts in the industry such as i•SHOP and IPO (Internet Parts Ordering). A great example of what can be accomplished by reusing these components was the Shop of Tomorrow demonstration at AAPEX. In little more than 100 days, a team of developers focused on integrating a telematics device with a messaging service capable of communicating with a network of shop equipment and systems. In short, they started 8 | AFTERMARKET INSIDER | VOLUME 69 http://www.aftermarket.org/Technology/webservices.aspx

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider Issue 69

Aftermarket Insider Issue 69
Contents
President’s Message
Top 10 of 2010
Technology Update
Member Profile
Toolbox: Young Employees
Toolbox
Segment Update
Business Confidence Index
Market Intelligence
Green Highlight
Market Intelligence

Aftermarket Insider Issue 69