Registry and Repository Access Control

June 7th, 2007

If you’re going to put all of your services in to a single registry along with the artefacts that describe them then security is going to be important to you. WebSphere Service Registry and Repository has a comprehensive fine-grained access control mechanism based on the industry standard XACML. There is a developerWorks series starting which describes the details. (And no, I’m not just plugging it because Gary was once my mountain marathon partner!)

Web Service Transactions

June 4th, 2007

As I’ve mentioned previously, shortly after I first joined IBM I was a member of the development team for the transactions component, initially of Component Broker and then WebSphere Application Server. My team leader back then was one Ian Robinson. Ian has since risen to the heady heights of Senior Technical Staff Member and I’m glad to say that he now acts as my mentor. Ian is co-chair of the OASIS WS-Tx committee and, as announced on his blog (of which I had no idea of the existence), Version 1.1 of the standard has just been announced. Ian has also added his name to the list of contributors on the WebSphere Community Blog (note the new location) having authored a lengthy article on the support for Web Service Transactions in WebSphere Application Server.

Last supper

June 1st, 2007

After taking in to account the suggestions received and spending far too long staring at a huge selection in the hardware store, I ended up going with the mouse poison. As the guy at the checkout kindly reminded me, I’d selected the option to give the intended recipient the most pain and suffering! I needn’t have worried about hunting down decaying bodies though. The poor wee beastie had cleaned out the tray and was lying in-situ, on its back, with its feet in the air. After a suitable burial (not easy finding an empty spot in our garden) the poison tray was refilled and, I’m glad to say, remains undisturbed.

Deer Leap RR10

May 31st, 2007

Christine’s Mum has been staying with us since the weekend which has enabled me to get out and about in the evenings – Tuesday night run and pub and then RR10 yesterday. The rain had stopped earlier but I suspect half-term meant numbers were a little down at the race. Although sluggish my legs didn’t feel too tired – probably a result of four days enforced ‘rest’ over the weekend. That and, in the last couple of kms, I knew that the pain was nothing compared to with what Christine had been through! I finished in 15th place – my best so far this year.

Settling in at home

May 31st, 2007

357Christine and Emma came home from hospital on Tuesday and are settling in well at home. Emma continues to sleep well between feeds – at least during the day. Unfortunately 2am-4am seems to be when she is at her liveliest! At least there is plenty of opportunity to catch up on sleep during the day. Christine is recovering well and seems to be getting stronger day-by-day. We made it out for our first trip round the block this evening.

Emma Claire Currie

May 27th, 2007

354At 23:37 on 26 May 2007, Emma Claire Currie was born at the Royal Hampshire Hospital, Winchester, weighing in at 8lb13oz (4kg). The birth was by caesarean section following a long and painful labour. Emma is sleeping and feeding well and enjoys wriggling and sticking her tongue out. Christine is tired but well. Daddy is very proud of them both.

Laborious labour

May 27th, 2007

I’m not sure “nice” was the right word to use about the state of affairs when I arrived at the hospital in Winchester. Christine had been having painful contractions throughout most of the night and the co-codamol they had given her had caused her to be sick. However, when she was eventually moved to the labour ward around one o’clock she was a promising 5-6cm dilated.
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Induction

May 26th, 2007

We went in to Winchester hospital yesterday afternoon where Christine was due to be induced. One prostaglandin tablet later and after hours of monitoring (don’t believe a midwife when she says “just another five minutes”!) the contractions were coming along nice and regularly when I left late last night. The pain was starting to kick in a little for Christine, probably not helped by the screams from the neighbouring labour ward! She was due another monitoring session this morning and, given that at half six in the morning I’ve just had a call asking me to come in (after getting some breakfast otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this) then I guess things are still moving along nicely.