eDelivery Services
Service Metadata Locator (SML) software
Latest version
About the software component
The eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML) enables Access Points to dynamically discover the IP address of the destination Access Point. Instead of looking at a static list of IP addresses, the Access Point consults a Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) where information about every participant in the document/ data exchange network is kept up to date, including the IP addresses of their Access Point. As at any point in time there can be one or several active SMPs in a same network. For dynamic discovery to work, every participant must be given a unique ID in the form of a website's URL which must be known on the internet's Domain Name System (DNS) thanks to the Service Metadata Locator (DomiSML). By knowing this URL, the Access Point is able to dynamically locate the right SMP and therefore the right Access Point.
The current DomiSML an open source software component maintained by the European Commission implements the OASIS Business Document Metadata Service Location (BDXL) specification. Conformance with the PEPPOL Transport Infrastructure SML specifications will be maintained according to the the PEPPOL Transport Infrastructure SML specifications.
Users of the service
- Service Providers: may offer their services to integrate national backend systems with the eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML) or to install and operate a eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML).
- Software Providers: may develop software conformant with the specifications of eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML) to sell it as a commercial product or as an Open Source project.
- Policy Domain Owners: may use the eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML) to build a secure document/ data exchange network and facilitate the dynamic registration and discovery of participants
Benefits for the users of the service
The eDelivery Service Metadata Locator (SML) has the following benefits:
- Dynamic and global information management about the participants in document/ data exchange networks;
- Reduced learning curve of service providers of document and data exchange networks;
- Reduced cost of creating, maintaining and operating document and data exchange networks;
- Accelerated delivery time of a working document and data exchange network;
- Increased quality of document and data exchange networks.