The emergence of Application Service Providers (ASP) hosting Internet-based data mining services is being seen as a viable alternative for organisations that value their knowledge resources but are constrained by the high cost of data mining software. The current modus operandi for data mining ASPs does not represent a true marketplace environment characterised by open competition. We have developed an XML specification language to enable interactions between clients and service providers in a virtual marketplace environment. In this paper we present this language and discuss how it supports processes such as matching, ranking and negotiation in a virtual marketplace. We also present the design and implementation of our prototype system.
Shonali Krishnaswamy, E. P. See, J. N. Ho, W. Guna