Web Services are self-describing, modular applications. The Web Services architecture can be thought of as a wrapper for the application code. This wrapper provides standardized means for describing the Web Service and what it does, publishing it to a registry so that it can be easily located, and exposing an interface so that the service can be invoked - all in a machine-readable format. What is particularly compelling about Web Services is that they can be accessed by any client that understands XML, regardless of the platform, language, or object model. This book provides a snapshot of the current state of these rapidly evolving technologies, beginning by detailing the main standards that underpin the Web Services model (SOAP, WSIDL, and UDDI) and then putting this theory to practical use in a wide array of popular toolkits, platforms, and development environments. The technologies presented in this book provide the foundations of Web Services computing, which is set to revolutionize Distributed Computing as we know it. This book is for developers wanting to learn what Web Services are, and how to create, register, and deploy them. In teaching the core technologies, we assume a basic knowledge of XML from the outset.
Vivek Chopra has seven years experience in software design and development, the last two years of which have been in Web Services, using the HP Web Services Platform, e-Speak and various XML technologies. He works for Insight Solution Inc. as a senior software engineer. He can be reached at vivek@soaprpc.com.
Zoran Zaev is a Sr. Web Solutions Architect with Hitachi Innovative Solutions, Corp. His emphasis has been web applications and web services with XML, SOAP and other related technologies. Zoran can be reached at zoran.zaev@hitachisolutions.net or zzaev@yahoo.com.
Gary Damschen is a Lead Programmer Analyst for Kelly Services, Inc. He became an IT professional after teaching himself HTML and starting a web consulting business. He now develops online training delivery systems and courses.
Chris Dix specializes in Visual C++ development for Windows platforms. He has written articles for several magazines, and he contributes material on SOAP to VBXML.COM. He is Lead Developer for NavTraK, Inc., a leader in automatic vehicle location, where he develops Web Services and Palm applications. He can be reached at cdix@navtrak.net.
Patrick Cauldwell has worked on localizing software into 17 languages, he's helped design large E-Commerce web sites and spoken nation-wide about how to build large scalable sites. Patrick is currently embarking on a new project with Serveron Corp., which makes monitoring devices and software for the power industry.
Rajesh Chawla has worked with a variety of technologies including C++, C, XML, Oracle, Unix, NT, Apache, and IIS, to name a few. He currently works on middleware technologies for Sybase.She has spent most of the past year focussing on how to leverage the power of .NET and C# to build secure and scalable systems.
Glenn Olander is a software consultant, specializing in the design and implementation of client/server applications using Java, XML, SOAP, Servlets, and Web Services.
Francis Norton works as a senior consultant where he has a special interest in the application of XML technologies to the many challenges of cross-platform retail finance applications.
Tony Hong founded and operates XMethods, an online listing of web services and started the SOAPBuilders group on Yahoo. He can be reached at thong@xmethods.net.
Uche Ogbuji is a Computer Engineer, co-founder and CEO of Fourthought, Inc., a software vendor and consultancy specializing in open, standards-based XML solutions.
Mark Richman has over 10 years experience as an independent consultant and software developer. He specializes in large-scale distributed web applications.
