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RosettaNet Press Release RosettaNet Orchestrates Implementation of Its Specifications Between IT Supply Chain Partners, Demonstrating Unprecedented Industry-Wide Commitment; Rollout Scheduled for February 2000 For Release June 9, 1999
Menlo Park -- A year-old project by the IT industry to establish an Internet-based supply chain with fully aligned business processes reached a major milestone today with the launching of eConcert -- the implementation phase of RosettaNet, the most advanced partner-to-partner e-business initiative ever undertaken. Executives from leading IT companies met today in Silicon Valley to affirm their commitment to making the global use of RosettaNet's supply chain standards a reality by February 2, 2000, also dubbed eConcert Readiness Day. EConcert focuses on orchestrating the implementation of "partner interface processes" (PIPs) between member companies. These PIPs have been and continue to be developed by RosettaNet for the purpose of defining how business processes are conducted between manufacturers, software publishers, distributors, resellers, integrators and volume end users, all of which comprise the IT supply chain. RosettaNet was formed by leading IT industry suppliers and associated firms to develop both content and transaction standards on behalf of the IT sector. RosettaNet earlier released a dictionary of common, unified e-business language standards that provide a basis for partner-to-partner communication and is now taking the project to the next level of testing supply chain processes. "Eventually, RosettaNet will enable users to read PC distributor and reseller catalogs, with features and components described in identical terms, and configure their system requirements in a common supplier language," said Colin Evans, director of e-business strategy at Intel Corporation and chairman of the RosettaNet Board of Directors. "They will be able to enter an online inquiry or order, then the transaction will seamlessly permeate the supply chain as far as necessary to get an immediate answer to availability, location, price and delivery schedule." Not only will purchasing be simplified from the end users' viewpoint, the wholly automated transaction will initiate a trail of tasks to be performed by each involved member of the supply chain all the way from product introduction to delivery. To launch the pilot phase of eConcert, RosettaNet has developed nine PIPs relating to catalog updates and purchasing processes. Presently, there are 30 companies working toward the eConcert Readiness Day, 15 of these companies are piloting these PIPs in collaboration with each other. "We like to call these initial implementers 'dance partners' because the collaborative nature of this testing requires a lot of coordination and match-up, much like when you are dancing," said Fadi Chehad é , CEO of RosettaNet. "This behind-the-scenes implementation effort is a milestone in the way business processes are aligned." The first significant milestone that will be announced is that three pre-production "dances" between RosettaNet member companies will be completed by June 25, 1999, meaning three groups of dance partners will have successfully completed the piloting of one or more PIPs. Five more dances will be completed by August 9, 1999, the second milestone. The third milestone is eConcert Readiness Day itself, when all of the eConcert companies will use PIPs in full production mode. eConcert involves project planning by many different departments and third-party solution providers. These collaborators are creating an internal network infrastructure, describing all products and components consistent with RosettaNet dictionaries, developing interfaces to ERP and workflow systems, and implementing software that controls access to Web and database servers. "To accomplish these tasks in such a short time requires the continuation of the financial and emotional commitment that has brought us to this point," Chehad é said. "I cannot recall any occasion in the past in which a diverse cross-section of an industry has come together to create, test and implement standards with such dedication, speed and collaboration." While the bottom line of the RosettaNet initiative is to address the notoriously thin margins of the PC business, the industry is unified in its recognition that IT product buyers drive the supply chain, Chehad é noted. "This is all about providing efficient, cost-effective service to buyers, maximizing the technological impetus provided by the Internet," he said. Chehad é estimates that one PIP can yield annual savings as high as $1 million for each implementer. The IT supply chain could save as much as $25 billion annually when all PIPs are implemented, he noted. In addition to companies directly involved in the IT supply chain, RosettaNet is enhanced by participation of two other classes of members - architect partners who represent other IT companies with a vested interest in influencing RosettaNet's standards and coalition partners consisting of industry and standards organizations. Representatives from many of these partner companies will show their support by joining RosettaNet board members at today's eConcert launch. "All together, more than 80 executives from companies that represent over $400 billion of the IT industry's $700 billion in total revenues will stand in unison, committing to eConcert's February 2, 2000 final implementation date," added Chehad é . "This kind of industry-wide acceptance makes a pretty powerful statement and reflects the forward-thinking nature of all the participating companies." The following companies went on record today committing to the implementation of RosettaNet PIPs in production mode by February 2, 2000:
The RosettaNet Managing Board now consists of 34 CEOs, CIOs, and executives representing global members of the IT supply chain, including American Express, Arrow Electronics, Avnet, CHS Electronics, Cisco Systems, CompUSA, Compaq, Computacenter, Deutsche Financial Services, EDS, Federal Express, GE Information Services, GSA, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Inacom, Ingram Micro Inc., Insight, Intel, Marshall Industries, Microage, Microsoft, Netscape, NEC Technologies, Office Depot, Oracle, pcOrder, SAP AG, Siemens, Solectron, Tech Data, 3Com, Toshiba America Information Systems and United Parcel Service.
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