The San Francisco project is building three layers of reusable code for use by application developers. The highest layer, called the Core Business Processes, provides business objects and default business logic for selected vertical domains. The second layer, called the Common Business Objects, provides definitions of commonly used business objects that can be used as the foundation for interoperability between applications. The lowest layer, called the Base, provides the infrastructure and services that are required to build industrial strength applications in a distributed, managed object, multi-platform applications. The Base isolates an application from the complexities of multi-platform network technology, and frees the application provider to focus on unique elements that drive value to their customers.

Application developers can choose to exploit the frameworks at any of the three layers. For example, they could build directly on the Base, and develop their own frameworks and business objects. Or, they could use the Core Business Processes, and just make the extensions needed to complete their application. Application developers may also use the framework technology for only portions of their application. San Francisco is designed to coexist with existing business applications, preserving existing application investments.

As referenced in Figure 1, San Francisco offers application developers a choice of various levels of framework exploitation. At the lowest level, application developers can utilize the Base infrastructure to provide a consistent programming interface and structure for building distributed multi-platform applications. Application developers can select the next layer of Common Business Objects (CBO) as the basis for application integration. It provides a common foundation for building interoperable business solutions. At the highest level, application specific business frameworks will provide core business processes that can be easily extended to provide a complete business solution. Initially, the San Francisco project has examined business frameworks in the domains of accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger, order management (sales and purchase), and warehouse management. Over time, these business frameworks will be extended and enhanced with additional business processes, objects, and access to more framework interfaces, providing greater application flexibility.

San Francisco is implemented using the Java language. This makes the frameworks, and applications developed using the frameworks, portable across many platforms. It also allows developers to use the many tools and class libraries that the industry is producing for Java development. We expect most development in San Francisco will take the form of Java applications. However, application developers can create applets to work with San Francisco objects as well.

The following information reflects the current direction for the San Francisco frameworks. IBM has not committed to ship all of the functions and reserves the right to make changes to functions listed in this document. We are working with our advisory groups to help validate and prioritize how functions will be delivered over time. Current plans are to ship the Base technology, several Common Business Objects, and portions of the General Finance vertical domain frameworks in the initial release.