A worldwide-agreed software standard and Extensible Mark Up Language; XML is the backbone of the web service. XML is moulded to describe data and unlike HTML, XML tags are not predefined. DTD, Document Type Definition, used to formally elaborate self-describing, XML standard was put forward in 1996 by a team headed by Jon Bosak. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has also recommended, XML which is derived from Structured Generalized Markup Language (SGML) parent and Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).

The UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery & Integration) project based on existing Internet standards; is a yellow page type directory of all businesses that render services on the web.

• The UDDI has an independent platform with a neutral implementation.
• In the opinion of industry analysis like Gartner Group, Forestar Research and Seybold. The UDDI will be the core initiative for accelerating B2B adoption in future.
• UDDI defines the ways and means for discovering Services on the web.

 

SIMPLE OBJECT ACCESS PROTOCOL. SOAP is an XML-based object invocation protocol, which is made to transfer structured and typed information on the Web.

• This is simple and high weight protocol specification for invoking methods on web server, services, components and objects.
• SOAP primarily made for distributed web applications to interact over HTTP and through corporate firewalls have non-defined the usage of HTTP & XML to access service, objects and service in a platform independent manner.

• Web Services Description Language: The documents written in XML describe a Web service by specifying the location and operation.
• The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has announced the publication of initial working draft specifications for Web Services Description Language (WSDL) version 1.2 & WSDL version 1.2 Bindings.

Tools in use

To quote IBM, WSTK (Web Services Tool Kit) is a software development kit that includes demos and examples to aid in designing and executing web service application that can automatically find one another and collaborate in business transactions without additional programming or human intervention.

• Visual Studio. Net: The comprehensive tool set for rapidly building and integrating XML web services, based on Microsoft windows application and Web solutions.
• Java Web services Developers Pack: JAVA WSDP is an integrated tool set which in conjunction with the java platform allows Java developers to build, test and deploy XML web applications and services.
• JAVA XML pack, Java Server Pages Standard Tag Library (JSTL) Java WSDP Registry Server, Web Applications Deployment Tool, Ant Build Tool and Apache Tomcat container are the web technologies included in Java WSDP.

The way it works

Basically 3 steps are involved in making a service on the web.

• Creation of service on the web using any platform like MS, .Net or Sun ONE.
• Describing the service with WSDL (XML) i.e. metadata or necessary information about accessing and integrating the service should be written.
• Register the service in a UDDI registry / repository.

To access & use

• By searching UDDI registries to locate a service by another service / user.
• Using SOAP can access the functions of the located service.
• The interaction between the requester service and requested service starts.

Being aware of what service on the web is and how it (a web service) works; one also needs to be knowledgeable about the risks involved, as when the customers are not paying for the software technology – mere integration cannot boost the sales. So one needs to have the market for commercial web services in the needy areas.

Ultimately, you are the one to make a ‘choice’, because the assistance you choose will decide your future. They are to provide it with technical as well as business consultancy along Implementation Consulting and Assistance, which can cover almost all the aspects of risk.