During IBC, EBU and the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) organized a roundtable session around SOA and the Framework for Interoperable Media Services (FIMS) project jointly coordinated by the two organizations.
Users were invited to highlight the market needs for a FIMS solution. Respondents to the FIMS request for technology were present to reinforce their expectations on the specification and standardization work that will follow.
During the roundtable, FIMS announced a roadmap for developing specifications. Phase 1 of development will consist of a common service definition format, after the high-level architecture and framework described in the request for technology is first refined.
The framework will cover all system and management requirements (service management, awareness and communication, content and time awareness, security and framework extension). The framework will be built upon IBM (SOA-based Media Services Framework) and Sony (Media SOA Framework) proposals with the experience of service developers and users from Amberfin, BBC and Cinegy. The project will also address container issues for maximum compatibility with AAF and MXF.
Phase 2 will investigate the possibility of defining common services using the framework developed in phase 1. All respondents have already suggested key services.
Work will continue in a public manner via the FIMS wiki and open meetings that will allow third parties to actively contribute to the work. Direct participation will be subject to the signature of a participation agreement to safeguard the favorable licensing conditions under which FIMS operates.
