While we have discussed the mechanics of Web services - what they are composed of, and how to create and consume them - we have had little discussion on business uses for Web services. In this article we will discuss how and where Web services can be used in an enterprise. We'll also look at how Web services are being used by businesses today.
The Utility of Web Services
When faced with a task, it is important to choose the right tool for the job. Web services are the right tool for some jobs, and the wrong tool for others. In my opinion, Web services are an ideal candidate for tasks that need to accomplish one (or both) of the following:
- Data transfer between disparate systems
- Provide a platform-independent interface to hide complexity for a system that is utilized by many clients
To see why Web services are an ideal fit for these types of challenges, let's consider two different scenarios and see how Web services can be utilized.
