An Overview of Web Services

A web service is a set of functions packaged into a single entity that is available to other systems on a network. The network can be a corporate intranet or the Internet. Other systems can call these functions to request data or perform an operation. Because they rely on basic, standard technologies which most systems, they are an excellent means for connecting distributed systems together.

Web services are a useful way to provide data to an array of consumers over the Internet, like stock quotes and weather reports. But they take on a new power in the enterprise, where they offer a flexible solution for integrating distributed systems, whether legacy systems or new technology.

The following topics offer an overview of web services and the standard technologies they rely on.

What Are Web Services?

Explores how web services can offer a new approach for existing challenges

Inside Web Services

Discusses the standard technologies underlying web services.