Cypresslogic - What are Web Services, XML, XSL, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI

C o m m o n Q u e s t i o n s . . .

If your organization is just embarking into the world of Web services then you may be wondering what all the hype is about. This section covers some basics on what are Web services, the technology that drives them, and how ObjectView can tie them all together.

Internet Evolution

The Internet is evolving. In its early stages providing static information to the Web was a challenge. Then we were able to overcome and provide not only interactive tools, but also integrate our systems with the Web. Now we are facing the challenge of integrating our systems with other systems across the Web, and respond quickly to changing needs. The Web services permit existing software to interoperate, communicate and integrate across operating systems, networks, and software.

Imagine the possibility of integrating your inventory system with your suppliers. Instead of picking up the phone or tediously filling out a purchase order, your system can automatically trigger a message to be sent over the Internet to order more supplies. But as each of you are using different systems they can't communicate with each other. With the introduction and rapid adoption of new standards, such as XML and SOAP, your systems can be made available, interoperate, and viewed by others - without costly middleware - no matter what operating system or software you are using.

What is XML and SOAP?

XML is Extensible Markup Language and SOAP is Simple Object Access Protocol. XML is a method for describing data and allows data to be viewed without the program that produced it. Your software stays the same and is able to communicate with different software across the Internet. SOAP enables a program running one kind of operating system, such as Windows, to communicate with a program running on another kind of operating system, such as Linux, by using the World Wide Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). SOAP describes how to encode an HTTP header and an XML file so that a program in one computer can call a program in another computer, and pass it information. XML and SOAP are the technologies that enable systems to communicate with each other, but as they're hidden in the background, you often don't have to worry about it. XML is the standard for data encoding just as ASCII is the standard for character encoding. These two things are the basis for allowing the information on your inventory system to communicate with your supplier's systems. Your software is broken down into components and wrapped in XML, which permits it to communicate with other software.

What is a Web Service?

A Web service is the reusable software component based on the above standards. It can be used like a building block to create complex applications and tools. Web services provide businesses with flexibility and speed to build applications by re-using components or purchasing new ones from Web service providers. It saves time in the development cycle because you don't have to build applications from scratch. It is the technology that not only permits your software to integrate across systems, but gives you the versatility to expand quickly as your needs change without having to spend long costly hours rewriting your systems to do it.

How do I get Web services?

Finding Web services will soon be as simple as looking up a number in a phone book. With the UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration) initiative rapidly on its way, businesses are able to register their Web services and allow others to find them on the Internet. The registries contain WSDL (Web Services Description Language) files, which describe the Web service and what it does, so you can quickly find components that will suit your needs.

ObjectView in the evolution

ObjectView is the next step; a drag and drop integration tool for accessing Web services and simplifying the process of creating complex tools and applications. Further, its unique environment represents Web services as graphical objects, essentially a picture, and by connecting objects together, you can create complex applications without ever having to view one line of code. It is freedom from the annoyance of acronyms and the confusion of code.