The incredible success of the INTERNET, the increasing demand for mobile computing, and resultant business model paradigm shifts will demand middleware based IT architectures. The choice of a middleware solution will affect all other applications in the enterprise. Application and server systems will need to participate in and integrate with the middleware. Failure to do so will preclude their use within the framework of enterprise computing.
The Open Source and Linux communities must recognize this and respond with an open, standards-based solution to insure the continued viability of their service delivery platform. The success of the open source model to date indicates that it works and that, if an open middleware solution is developed, the INTERNET community will embrace it.
The success of KerDAP and USMS suggests that the notion of a viable middleware strategy based on an open system architecture and open source software is realistic. The authors are pleased with the interest in their solution and invite interested parties to contact them via email at ker_DAP@ndsu.nodak.edu. Copies of this paper are available via the web at https://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/server_group/kerDAP/.