RE: [xml-dev] What are web services ?

["Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@bah.com>]

Although no single, authoritative definition exists for basic terms like "service" and "Web Service", here are some fundamental characteristics that some folks believe that anything described as a "Web Service" should possess:

(1) Can interact with it through the WWW;
(2) Platform- and programming language-agnostic;
(3) Interface & invocation requirements are well-described;
(4) XML-encoded interaction mechanism;
(5) Payload most often is XML;
(6) Loose coupling between invoker and Web Service;
(7) Performs a specific, well-defined function;
(8) May invoke other Web Services;
(9) Standards-based;
(10) Has the ability to perform its functionality synchronously or asynchronously, as needed; (i.e. does not use synchronous interaction when asynchronous is best, and vice-versa);

Joe

Joseph Chiusano
Booz Allen Hamilton
Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chiusano Joseph 
> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 7:02 AM
> To: 'Paul Downey'; Rex Brooks
> Cc: xml-dev@lists.xml.org; Michael Kay; 'Razvan MIHAIU'
> Subject: RE: [xml-dev] What are web services ?
> 
> Although no single, authoritative definition exists for basic 
> terms like "service" and "Web Service", here are some 
> fundamental characteristics that some folks believe that 
> anything described as a "Web Service" should possess:
> 
> (1) Can interact with it through the WWW;
> (2) Platform- and programming language-agnostic;
> (3) Interface & invocation requirements are well-described;
> (4) XML-encoded interaction mechanism;
> (5) Payload most often is XML;
> (6) Loose coupling between invoker and Web Service;
> (7) Performs a specific, well-defined function;
> (8) May invoke other Web Services;
> (9) Standards-based;
> (10) Has the ability to perform its functionality 
> synchronously or asynchronously, as needed; (i.e. does not 
> use synchronous interaction when asynchronous is best, and 
> vice-versa);
> 
> Joe
> 
> Joseph Chiusano
> Booz Allen Hamilton
> Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Paul Downey [mailto:paul.downey@whatfettle.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 2:26 AM
> > To: Rex Brooks
> > Cc: xml-dev@lists.xml.org; Michael Kay; 'Razvan MIHAIU'
> > Subject: Re: [xml-dev] What are web services ?
> > 
> > Rex,
> > 
> > I actually think Michael's answer was bang on target. You 
> only have to 
> > look at the archives of the W3C Web Services Architecture Working 
> > Group to see the difficulties involved when trying to gain 
> consensus 
> > on the definition for basic terms like "Service".
> > 
> > > since it is almost guaranteed that the future of 
> computing will be 
> > > dominated by the paradigms being developed in this field.
> > 
> > How far into the future are we talking, here?
> > The whole of computing, guaranteed, really?
> > 
> > Web services do have some significant vendor backing, but 
> still have 
> > some real political and technical issues and so much to prove. The 
> > potential to reach the 'Web'
> > vision for services remains, but is likely to be somewhat 
> different to 
> > the tower of Babel currently being battled for.
> > 
> > As someone wise said recently (i wish i could remember who):
> > the future is often out there in the long grass, where no-one is 
> > watching.
> > 
> > Paul
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > While this is true for the perpetual world of con artists and 
> > > grifters, and those on whom they prey, and for the equally
> > perpetual
> > > professional gadflies whose avocation appears to be to 
> puncture the 
> > > also perpetual puffed up human egotists who appear to be born 
> > > "experts" on just about everything and whose love of their
> > own voices
> > > vocally or verbally seems to know no bounds.
> > >
> > > However, there is a growing body of standards and practices
> > for both
> > > loosely coupled but well-bound WSDL and SOAP based web 
> services AND 
> > > RESTful web services based largely on structural
> > capabilities inherent
> > > in the current and future Web Services Architecture
> > promulgated by the
> > > W3C.
> > >
> > > Please be aware when you toss out the makings for new
> > assaults in this
> > > permathread that asking for or providing short answers for how to 
> > > build, publish service descriptions, establish reliable 
> connections 
> > > for web service consumers and transact reliable, secure 
> web service 
> > > operations to deliver valuable, cost-worthy functionalities
> > over the
> > > web is not wise and most likely to produce poor definitions
> > and wider
> > > misinformation than we already have.
> > >
> > > Since I have been working for three and half years in the
> > OASIS WSRP
> > > TC and for the last few months in the newly formed SOA
> > Reference Model
> > > TC, I can vouch for how difficult it is to develop sound, 
> reliable 
> > > specifications, definitions and practices for this arena,
> > especially
> > > since it is almost guaranteed that the future of 
> computing will be 
> > > dominated by the paradigms being developed in this field.
> > >
> > > Like it or lump it, you will be dealing with it, so spit
> > into the wind
> > > at your own risk. However, it is always tremendous fun to
> > watch while
> > > pedants and gurus expound on these topics.
> > >
> > > My own position is to attempt to help shape this new
> > technology into
> > > more workable pathways and learn it from the inside out 
> while it is 
> > > possible to do so. Three years ago it was almost pure hype
> > with a tiny
> > > proportion of real work and a few major vendors vying to 
> "own" this 
> > > space. Now it is due to become, in the  world of  public
> > perception,
> > > the province of equally perpetual gurus who have an almost 
> > > irresistible compulsion to evangelize in these early stages of 
> > > development and who tend to become "bleeding deacons" 
> decrying the 
> > > loss of true vision and purpose as what they consider their 
> > > brainchildren develop their own lifecycles apart from the 
> > > predilections of early adopters and true believers alike.
> > >
> > > This opinion is based on observing similar processes over
> > the course
> > > of the last 30 years of tech development..
> > >
> > > Ciao,
> > > Rex
> > >
> > > At 10:29 AM +0100 5/30/05, Michael Kay wrote:
> > >> OK, here's my answer. The term "web service" means anything the 
> > >> speaker wants it to mean. Like "service oriented 
> architecture" or 
> > >> "native XML database" or "electronic business" it's a
> > fuzzy term that
> > >> different people will define in different ways, 
> depending on what 
> > >> they are trying to sell you.Michael Kayhttp://www.saxonica.com/
> > >>> From: Razvan MIHAIU [mailto:mihaiu@mihaiu.name]
> > >>> Sent: 29 May 2005 17:43
> > >>> To: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
> > >>> Subject: Re: [xml-dev] What are web services ?
> > >>>
> > >>>      This is not that much off-topic. Please make the 
> courage to 
> > >>> answer :-(
> > >>>> Hi,
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>              Were can I find a good definition of this ? A web 
> > >>>> service must be based on SOAP in order to belong in this
> > category ?
> > >>>> A web service must use XML for transferring data (like
> > SOAP) ? Can
> > >>>> we have web services without WSDL and UDDI ?
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>  Regards,
> > >>>>  Razvan
> > >>>> --
> > >>>>  Regards,
> > >>>>  Razvan
> > >>>>
> > >>>>  SCJP preparation material:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> www..mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035/index.html
> > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test1/index.html
> > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test2/index.html
> > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test3/
> > >>>> index.htmlwww.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test4/
> > >>>> index.html
> > >>>>   
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> --
> > >>>  Regards,
> > >>>  Razvan
> > >>>
> > >>>  SCJP preparation material:
> > >>>
> > >>> www..mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035/index.html
> > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test1/index.html
> > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test2/index.html
> > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test3/index.html
> > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test4/index.html
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > >
> > > Rex Brooks
> > >  President, CEO
> > >  Starbourne Communications Design
> > >  GeoAddress: 1361-A Addison
> > >  Berkeley, CA 94702
> > >  Tel: 510-849-2309
> > >
> > --
> > http://blog.whatfettle.com
> > 
> > 
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