At the core of the DEK is an implementation of the ISO STEP part 22 SDAI n350 information model. All three SDAI schemas of this model have been implemented. These include the data dictionary schema, the session schema and the abstract data type schema. The DEK has been implemented on top of a commercial object oriented database, ObjectStore and runs on UNIX and Windows platforms. At present, data can be imported and exported, to and from, the DEK in accordance with the IDM schema.
Export is currently generic for any design tool.
The CombiNet can then be evaluated by the ExEx. The first of the systems will be aimed at architectural practice. All these applications will have data exchange interfaces for communicating their inputs and outputs to the Off-line data interaction manager. These interfaces will be built using the Data Exchange Toolkit. This helps to maintain the consistency of the design data in the kernel.