Explain Interoperability With Respect to Web Services
Are you looking to understand interoperability with respect to web services? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide an overview of how this concept applies to different types of web service providers. In particular, we’ll discuss SOAP versus RESTful web service technologies and WS-I. We’ll also look at structured and semantic interoperability. This is a vital concept to understand in order to create the most effective and reliable Web applications.
Intro
Web services provide the ability to exchange information between multiple systems. They are XML based protocols which allow the exchange of messages and other documents between systems.
Web services are based on a model called the ‘Publish-Discover-Invoke’ paradigm. A user invokes a service by sending an XML request to a server. The server then sends an XML response, containing the requested information. The user then uses the service, either through an API or directly.
A well designed web service can provide benefits such as seamless integration with other systems. This is not without its drawbacks though. For instance, some services require the reconstruction of workflows and event sets. This may prove costly if there are deadlines to meet.
Interoperability with respect to web services is still in its infancy. But the good news is that it’s getting better. To counter the myriad of specifications and technology solutions available, the best approach is to adopt a consensus based approach. The industry needs a unified set of specifications, to reduce the ownership and maintenance costs of interoperable systems.
The best way to achieve this is to adopt a set of specifications based on industry-guided standards. To do this, the industry has created the WS-I (Web Services Initiative). This is an open forum to discuss interoperability issues and to develop best practices.
The most important part of this interoperability scheme is the use of standards to create interfaces compatible with one another. The use of a standards-based protocol such as XML to describe data is a good start. Using XML eliminates the need for a platform-specific interface, and it also allows the exchange of data without the need for a network.
For example, the ‘Simple Object Access Protocol’ (SOAP) is an XML-based protocol. It’s the logical next step for the ‘publish-discover-invoke’ paradigm, and is used by many other vendors, including IBM. However, there are some problems with ‘SOAP’.
For instance, it is possible to have interoperable XML documents, but they might not be as structured as a standard XML document. This is because a’standard’ format is not sufficient to guarantee interoperability.
Structured and semantic interoperability
Semantic and structured interoperability is a key element in modern technology. It provides an important layer in the communications pyramid that allows machines to interpret information automatically and accurately. It is necessary for seamless data exchange. However, it presents challenges in various Member States.
Having a common vocabulary is essential for semantic interoperability. It can be achieved through the use of standardized forms. It also helps in improving data management and sharing.
Semantic interoperability requires standardized ways to represent the meaning of several thousand concepts. It is most often achieved through the use of a RDF-enabled serialization format. This enables the lookup of additional properties of a URI without having to include redundant values.
This requires the use of an ontology, which is a formally represented knowledge of a domain. It is supported by a variety of tools and frameworks, such as Java. Using an ontology can accelerate the speed of interoperability.
To achieve semantic interoperability, the first step is to create a foundation ontology. This ontology consists of concepts, which are later used to build specialized ontologies.
Another important aspect of semantic interoperability is the use of metadata. Metadata contains information about the format and structure of data, and is parsable by machines. Moreover, it has to be machine readable.
Ontologies are not only a great tool for semantic interoperability, they are also a way to facilitate health information exchange. They help in making connections between medical and non-medical systems.
An example of semantic interoperability is the use for eGovernment. The eGovernment framework uses ontologies to make the data more usable. This helps in making sure that users are able to access data easily and have an accurate interpretation.
A study from the automobile manufacturing supply chain showed that US$10 billion was lost per year because of the inability to share information. The lack of interoperability can also lead to inefficiency in healthcare. For example, there is a need to standardize the forms of payment requests. It should also include the amount owed, the agent and participants, and the nature of the action.
RESTful vs SOAP web services
REST and SOAP are two of the more common web service protocols. These are essentially protocols that provide a way for a client to access the contents of a server. Each protocol is useful for a different set of uses. For instance, REST is faster and lightweight while SOAP offers a more secure means of sending and receiving data.
The first thing to know is that both SOAP and REST use HTTP as their transport. However, in the context of web services, RESTful services are more flexible than SOAP services, which tend to be tied to the HTTP protocol. This is due to the fact that RESTful web services support a variety of formats, including JSON, XML, and XHTML.
The REST and SOAP protocols are based on well-defined rules and specifications. This is why both have their merits. Among the most notable SOAP standards include WS-Coordination, WS-Security, and WS-ReliableMess. These technologies are useful for enterprise-level web applications and services, since they offer higher levels of security than traditional SSL.
The best part is that both technologies are free to use. Although a bit complicated to implement, both can provide you with a variety of benefits. For instance, with SOAP you can expect end-to-end reliability and retry logic. The latter is particularly useful in distributed environments.
In comparison, RESTful web services are much more straightforward to implement. Unlike SOAP, which uses a proprietary protocol, RESTful services rely on the internet for transmitting content to the server. This makes them easier to integrate into existing sites, and it also means that there is no need to refactor the site’s infrastructure. In addition, RESTful web services make use of a number of common HTTP commands, including GET, POST, DELETE, and PUT.
One thing to note is that the smallest possible bandwidth is required for a RESTful web service. This means that it isn’t the ideal solution for large, transactional systems.
The REST and SOAP protocols were developed as solutions to a set of shortcomings. While REST is faster, more robust, and provides a better user experience, SOAP still has a place in the heart of many developers. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself which one is the best fit for your needs.
WS-I
WS-I (Web Services Interoperability) is an open industry organization chartered to establish best practices and test tools for Web services interoperability. It is composed of leaders from different corporations. The organization has developed several profiles for selected Web services standards. WS-I is currently working on creating a new profile.
The goal of the organization is to accelerate the development of Web services interoperability. They have established the VO Web Service Basic Profile proposal. The proposal is based on the WS-I Basic Profile and will provide specifications and guidelines for implementation of SOAP-based web services. The proposal will also include an explanation of how to check conformance to the Basic Profile. The specification will be available in three parts.
The WS-I technical committee, which is a part of OASIS, has been tasked to develop profiles for a variety of Web services standards. For example, the team has produced a Basic Security Profile for SOAP Message Security 1.1, a Cross-Enterprise User Assertion (XUA) Profile, and a Reliable Secure Profile for reliable messaging with security.
The WS-I Basic Profile, for instance, integrates XML 1.0 Second Edition, WSDL 1.1, and UDDI 2.0 into one unified framework. It ensures that Web services can exchange messages between a requester and a provider. It provides guidance on the use of various security token formats, including X.509 and SAML, and the Kerberos authentication protocol. It also includes further security requirements. The basic profile also includes a test tool for assessing conformance to the requirements.
The Web Services Interoperability Organization also tests interoperability for a number of existing standards. It has created a registry for the WS-I Basic Profile, and an automated tool for generating SOA Governance rules. Lastly, the organization has created a tool to validate WSDL files. It also has a built-in analysis and reporting tool. The WS-I registry allows users to track dependency graphs and encode governance rules.
As the scope of Web services expands, so does the need for interoperability. The most effective way to overcome this is through consensus and industry-guided specifications.