Problem statement :  SAML ....for security ...similar standardized communication framework for IT service management.

                     IT service management frameworks ...there are several frameworks available ...of which popular being  ITIL,

                     for any organization  ITSM ....translate's into ... dependencies

                     ....external entities (software as service , IT as service)

                     ...given context that most tools, utilities, products ...service(data-center) in most cases are outsourced 

                     for operational efficiency.
                     

Opportunity : Given the context ...a standardized framework ...language (terminology) ....communication means and framework

              that can enable ...information-exchange between internal-external entities ....with evolution of ITIL, COBIT

              etc ...a standardized lingo(terminology),operational-framework ...has been evolved...that ideally implemented

              ....translates into smooth operational efficiency, effective utilization of  IT investments.


              Thus given the context ...much like HTML, SAML ....riding piggy back on XML 

                                                            ...a standardized, extensible framework for ITSM.


              given the fact that evolution of serveral products or line of products ...that leverage 

              or strive to leverage or provide ....operational efficiency for investments in IT ...thus translating into 

              organizational efficiency.


              deriving from the problem statement ...ability to achieve vendor neutral or vendor benchmarkable
              compliance to a  XML framework for products catering to  IT as a service management framework,
              enabling organization inturn ...software to interact with external entities ...in adherence to a
              standardized ...fashion.

              eg: advantage of handling a incident ...communicated by such framework
                  ...ability to automate ....various pieces of software(their reaction response), 
                     interaction with entities adhering to a protocol

                  i.e. wrap or encode a message ...a incident being a complete or partial outage of IT service as a fallout
                       of tangible(it hardware eg cable) or intangible(software or product ...operator or software failure)
                       breakdown ...effecting various dependencies ...i.e. operational efficiency of a deperatment or organization,
                       thus potentially determining behaviour of software,people depending on!!


              ITIL, COBIT , ISACA, ITSM ....various other frameworks...methodologies...in vogue that can serve the purpose of

              evolving or translating a operational framwork into XML based standardized nomenclature.



           
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Note: The above problem statement having been encountered in various scenarios
      and detailed in various 'Proof of concepts' as mentioned in 
      
       http://uk.geocities.com/ravivenkatus/projects.pdf
       http://ravishankarkv.tripod.com/projects.pdf
        ....apply appropriate
      'use-case' modeling, rationalize and arrive at a workable and feasible 
       solution both commercially and techinically viable.