3.1. Chapter Overview

• Web Services, which are units of business services and components, are positioned as the next IT strategy for enterprises. The enabling technologies are built on top of XML. They are also referenced as “XML Web Services.”

• The Web Services technology stack includes the transport layer (for example, SOAP over HTTP), a service description language (for example, WSDL), transaction routing (for example, ebXML Message Service), and service negotiation (for example, ebXML Business Process).

• Web Services have many similarities and associations with CORBA. Some see Web Services technology as a reincarnation of Application Service Provider and CORBA.

• Microsoft's version of Web Services is .NET, with C# as one key development language. Sun, IBM, and other technology vendors are using Java™ as the service enabler for Web Services.

• To enable your applications to be Web Services, you do not need to rewrite them in Java™ or C#. There are four simple steps to transform your existing applications into Web Service.

• Web Services solutions are still in the “technology-hype” stage.

• There are, however, at least three public UDDI nodes and numerous Web Services directories that enlist pilot Web Services applications.

• Many technology and solution vendors have already shipped their Web Services-enabled products. Consumers may not even know Web Services are already in action.