Keynote II (Monday, 6th)

A Distributed Object Web-Publishing Environment Using CORBA

by

Al Issa
Dir. of Software Development and Application Services
CNN Interactive

Abstract

This presentation describes the distributed object-centric CORBA based web-publishing environment used by CNN Interactive. Distributed Object technology has played a crucial role in the creation, management, distribution and re-purposing of news content. This case study overviews the CNN Interactive architecture, challenges and lessons learned on deploying these systems.

Company Background

Cable News Network's (CNN), CNN Interactive, the world's leader in on-line news and information delivery, is dedicated to providing 24-hour a day, up-to-the-minute access to news and information on the World Wide Web (http://cnn.com/). CNN Interactive delivers the most comprehensive U.S. and global news and event coverage available on the Internet today.

Speaker Biography

Al Issa is the director of software development and application services for CNN Interactive. He is responsible for software development and operations for the following CNN Web sites: CNN.com, CNNenEspanol.com, CNNemPortugues.com and AllPolitics.com.
Issa oversees a team of 15 software developers and 20 Web staffers who design and implement key components of CNN Interactive content, as well as create software and operational procedures to support the constant updates and demands of a 24-hour online news operation.

Issa also works closely with CNN Interactive's editorial, business and marketing teams to develop new revenue opportunities for the online marketplace.

Prior to joining CNN Interactive in September 1996, Issa oversaw a server software development team at SITA-Airlines Telecommunications Consortium and was software engineer at Bell Northern Research/Northern Telecom and Bell Laboratories.

Issa is a native of Miami, Fl., and graduated with a master'ss degree in computer science from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1992. He received his bachelor'ss degree in computer science from Florida International University in 1989.