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�An evolutionary technology that allows businesses to integrate their internal computer systems, leverage legacy systems, and automate communication with their business partners in ways never before possible.� StrikeIron On-Demand Web Services for Microsoft Excel is the first, simple, easy-to-use, drag-and-drop integration of Web services directly into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets! See StrikeIron for full details, demos and purchase!

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By Bob Brauer

A �Web service� is a specific term created by the industry to describe a function provided by one software system or application and available for access by another software system or application over the Internet (or any network).

Primarily, this communication is achieved using a standardized mechanism such as text-based XML, eliminating the need for the communicating software applications to be running on the same hardware and software platforms. For example, a software system utilizing Windows .NET can communicate with a system built in Java on a Unix platform via a �Web service'.

So, while performing a search on Google might be considered to be a �service on the Web' in one context, it is not what is meant by the industry term �Web service'.

A Metaphor

A great metaphor to use to describe the value of Web services is the evolution of email. When email first arrived on the scene many, many years ago, people could only send email to people who were on the same email system, such as Lotus's cc:Mail, IBM Profs, or Eudora. Naturally, people wanted to send email to people who were on other email systems, so the industry responded by creating a series of email standards, such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), that enabled this to happen.

Since email was primarily text-based, SMTP enabled email to be sent and received by people with completely different hardware/software platforms. That meant that suddenly, anyone could send and receive email to and from anyone else in the world. This became the driving force behind the Internet boom. Everyone wanted email and needed to get on the Internet in order to have it.

So, in the same way that email enabled people to communicate over the Internet, Web services enables machines to communicate over the Internet (kind of like Instant Messaging for machines). By using a standard, such as SOAP (XML for Web services), every machine will be able to communicate with every other machine in the world. As you can imagine, this is pretty powerful.

What this means is that the Internet will transform itself from being a static informational entity that is accessed via a Web browser, to a dynamic executable entity that will truly become an information superhighway, passing data back and forth and performing actions between terminal points on the Web.

StrikeIron Web Services Business Network Overview
 
The following chart illustrates the major components, services and tools available through the StrikeIron Web Services Business Network. Each numbered component is briefly explained. 
 
StrikeIron Web Services Business Network�

See StrikeIron for full details, demos and purchase!

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