Jini is a new distributed technology from Sun Microsystems based on the Java programming language. It gives ``network plug and work'', where hardware and software services can join a network, announce their presence and be immediately usable. Jini allows software and hardware to be written that is ``Jini aware'', and to capture and bridge between non-Jini applications, hardware and software services. This allows new and existing systems to be built or brought into a Jini environment.
On the ``pioneer-early adopter-mainstream'' cycle, Jini is in the pioneer stage. There are many home devices (fridges, hifi systems, etc) and office devices (fax machines, security systems, etc) that can be linked to networks, but none of them are as yet Jini-aware. However, many companies (such as Motorola and Sony) are experimenting with adding this technology to their network products.
As it is in the pioneer stage, there is of course a high risk of failure in that it may not be taken up to the mainstream level. There are two counterweights to this: the cost of investment at this stage is relatively low compared to the potential benefits, and the organisations and individuals involved with Jini have a good track record of taking pioneer technology into the mainstream. A large number of overseas companies are making substantial investments in Jini based on this. It is timely to put in place a mechanism whereby Australian companies can easily join in these efforts.
A major project under this proposal is to set up a ``demonstrator laboratory''. This will include a variety of heterogeneous hardware, running many different operating sytems: Unix, Linux, Windows (several varieties) and Macintosh computers for workstations; digital cameras, other office equipment, and scientific equipment associated with engineering and the hard sciences.
The laboratory will be used to demonstrate on a local scale how Jini can be used in office, home and scientific environments. In addition, since Jini is a distributed network system, the services will be available across the Internet as a demonstrator laboratory for Australian and world use.
It is expected that service vendors will contribute into this laboratory as they develop Jini-enabled services. This may be in the form of further equipment, but may also be done by registration with the ``clearing house'' capability that will come from a stable laboratory with known network address.
There may be two laboratories: one with completely open access, the other with more limited access based upon commercial or defence security requirements.
The Centre will conduct training activities for member organisations. These will involve workshops, seminars and demonstrations.
The Centre will also be involved in outreach training projects primarily in Australia, but possibly also within the Asia-Pacific region. These will include tutorial sessions at conferences and customised training sessions for other organisations.
Staff of the Centre or supporting organisations will be available for consulting and promotional tasks using Jini.
Publicity about the capabilities of Jini and the possibility for technology transfer into Australian industry will be given at technical conferences during the lifetime of the Centre.
The Centre will run a number of short to medium term research projects. These will be staffed in a number of ways
The participant organisations in this will initially be
Training materials and software will be developed by the Centre. The Centre will own intellectual property rights in these. However, this will be done using a license similar to the Sun Community License: all software will be free for use in any way by the member organisations of the Centre; it will be free for non-commercial or internal use by any other organisation; however, software that forms the basis of commercial products by other organisations will attract a license fee to the Centre.
All materials produced by the Centre will be available from a dedicated Web
server at http://www.jini.canberra.edu.au.
The Centre will be run by a committee of representatives of each member organisation. This committee will be responsible for overall direction and research projects of the Centre. Day to day running of the Centre will be responsibility of Dr J. D. Newmarch of the University of Canberra.
Space for the Centre will be supplied for the publically accessible resources by a laboratory at the University of Canberra. A restricted access laboratory may be located at DSTC, at Fern Hill adjacent to the University of Canberra.
Equipment will be contributed by DSTC as several computers, such as Sun workstations and PCs. TRL and SAP may be able to contribute other hardware. Sun Microsystems will donate funding for half of a Research Assistant, leaving the other half to be made up elsewhere.
Dr Newmarch will act as director of the Centre as part of his research activities at the University of Canberra. There will also be the need for a full-time research assistant at a suitable level. The roles of this assistant will be administration of the Jini networks, work on some of the research projects, training and consulting, and management of the Centre's Web site.
Publicity materials, and conference support for dissemination of information will be funded by the member organisations in the first place. If the Centre begins to generate its own revenue stream, this will not be needed beyond the initial period.
The Centre will request funding for half of a Research Assistant. In addition, finances for training and publicity materials will be needed, as well as for other promotional aspects such as presentations at technology-related conferences.
The Centre will provide a single point-of-call for Jini-related technologies in Australia. This will avoid the fragmentation of efforts which are beginning to occur as individual organisations set up work groups which are just covering the same ground. It will also form a Australian registration centre for Jini activities.
Organisations around the world are looking at Jini technologies. Various mechanisms are being proposed to coordinate activities on a global scale. An Australian Centre will allow Australian industries to have an effective voice in the emerging global bodies.