For a number of years, the network, software, and telecommunication industries have been working on a number of key technical issues dealing with the infrastructure support for hybrid services. From the end users' perspectives, hybrid services utilize various networks while hiding the underlying network technologies such as the wireless networks, phone system, and data networks. To this end, however, the data networks lack necessary power to support next-generation hybrid services. It is now generally understood that there is great value in creating a three-level network model with the middle level supporting a service platform that would contribute certain common services. Such a data network would provide the common services at its edges close to its points of presence (POPs) while maintaining control over all network components belonging to a specific network provider. It would interoperate with other networks to offer a uniform view and management of all hybrid services. This article describes the nature of the enhanced emerging networks and outlines the structure of a service platform that would support its functions.

Constellation is a Web-based design framework for developing distributed applications which allows a single user or group of users to concurrently access and manipulate different aspects of a distributed application from a simple Mosaic-like front-end tool. Users can edit and build programs and documents, manage source code, debug and instrument running distributed programs, read manual pages and other documents, browse through source code and much, much more from a simple yet powerful front-end tool. Constellation is designed to work in a heterogeneous networked environment. It works with different host types and different OS environments, and supports different communication protocols. It is designed to work with hybrid client/server applications that consist of new as well as legacy code. Constellation is easily extensible to support new protocols, hosts, servers, services and back-end tools.