A new asynchronous messaging service adopted by the Object Management Group means that Corba developers can write applications that do not require clients to wait for a reply to a request before continuing with other work. Although what OMG calls its the asynchronous method invocation reduces the need for multi-threaded clients, the object standards body has stopped way short of providing a specification enabling developers to write asynchronous message-based applications as many message-oriented middleware (MOM) ISVs had wanted. In the event, it is the object request broker ISV community, which wanted no change to the fundamental synchronous nature of Corba’s IIOP infrastructure and its IDL interface, that won out. Some messaging functions had previously been shunted out in a separate OMG notification service in any case, and MOM vendors we spoke to called the overall result disorganized and disappointing. Their concern is that designed by committee, the asynchronous service may be so complex can anyone use it? Nevertheless, many quality of service issues, such as guaranteed delivery, have at least got an airing at OMG.
