XML, Web Services and Service-Oriented Architectures info

Welcome to the XML, Web Services and Service-Oriented Architectures resource center !

Web services are a form of Web applications that are self-contained, self-describing and modular, and that can be published, located, and invoked across the Web. Web services perform functions, which can be anything from simple requests to complicated business processes. Once a Web service is deployed, other applications (and other Web services) can discover and invoke the deployed service. XML is a markup language for documents and messages containing structured information, and the basis for Web services and service-oriented architectures.

Seminars about Web Services and SOA (all of them in Dutch):

• Secure & Reliable Web Services (with Guy Crets, on the 2nd of February 2006)
• Standaarden, Technologie en Tools voor Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA) (with Rick van der Lans, on the 16th of March 2006)
• Ontwerpen van Service-Oriented Architectures (with Rick van der Lans, on the 25th of April 2006)

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• Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) technology resources - SearchSOA.com - Essential SOA and Web services resources for enterprise IT professionals. Includes news, case studies, special reports, bookshelf, ...
• Choosing an XML editor: Thijs van den Broek - The aim of this Information Paper is to provide an introduction to different features XML editors can have and the extent to which these features are implemented in various editors.
• XMLMania.com - XML News, Forum, Documents, Examples : XML NEWS - The website is a source of XML related news, tutorials, documents, files and forums. Also provides XML Services, such as a multi-lingual RSS news service.
• WSReview.com: Connecting the Enterprise - Great Web site offering news, online columns, online articles, product news and a newsletter.
• .NET Experts: single-stop resource center for .NET training and information - Your resource center for .NET information
• SearchWebServices.com - The Web Services specific search engine presented by TechTarget.com
• The W3C Web Site on XML - Best place to visit for first-hand information on all the XML standards
• The XML Cover Pages - This reference collection by Robin Cover and sponsored by Oasis features extensive documentation on the application of the open, interoperable "markup language" standards, including XSL, XSLT, XPath, XQuery, XLink, XPointer, XHTML, HyTime, DSSSL, CSS, SPDL, SVG, CGM, ISO-HTML, and others.
• WebServices.Org - The Web Services Community Portal - - Lively discussion and reference site.

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• BPEL Learning Guide - In this BPEL learning guide, you'll find articles, tips, expert advice, white papers and more that will explain how BPEL fits into the world of Web services.
• Web Services and Service-Oriented Architectures - Doug Barry's site will help you get started with Web Services and service-oriented architectures. It features free articles, services, and product listings that can be used to develop a service-oriented architecture using Web Services.
• XML Security Learning Guide - This Learning Guide is a compilation of resources that review different types of XML security standards and approaches for keeping your XML Web services secure (definitions, articles, advice, ...).
• Loosely Coupled - on-demand web services for business - The Loosely Coupled website provides news, commentary, resources and services for planning, deploying and managing loosely coupled business process automation.
• IBM Global Services - Service-oriented architecture - IBM whitepapers
• The Web Services Protocol Stack - Description of all the Web services protocols: abbreviation, what it means, who is behind it, what are the alternatives, ...
• InfoWorld Special Report: Relational databases get a grip on XML - Find out how well IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Oracle Database 10g, and Sybase ASE handle the structured documents that drive today's business
• The Genesis Forum - Web Services Strategy - Web services insights for business people. Genesis is dedicated to providing strategic advice and solutions on one subject: self-organising adaptive systems that engender 'Agile, On Demand' enterprises. Its principle function is effective knowledge transfer: To understand the organic vs mechanistic models in effect and to translate them into a simple set of exercises and services that can be successfully adopted to increase growth of profits and for enhancing society as a whole.
• ADTmag.com's special section on XML and Web Services - articles and news items from the Application Development Trends magazine
• ASP.NET tutorials, components, links - Large ASP.NET Directory, offering tools, code libraries, white papers, books and other ASP.Net resources
• GotDotNet - Microsoft's .NET framework community site
• Hurwitz Group - Web Services - Analysis of the Web services market by the Hurwitz Group
• LearnXmlWS XML and Web services Resources - Resources to help you design and build .NET-based XML Web Services
• SoapWare.Org Directory - The leading directory for SOAP 1.1 developers
• Think Dot Net - a free online resource for .NET developers
• TopXML.com - an XML community where developers can contribute content, share XML source code and learn.
• VNUnet.com FOCUS: Web services - a special on web services at vnunet.com
• W3Schools Online Web Tutorials - Inside W3Schools you will find a large number of free Web building tutorials, from basic HTML and XHTML tutorials, to advanced XML, XSL and WAP tutorials.
• XML Security Page - Articles, specs, products, ... on XML security
• XML und Datenbanken - Although some of this is in German, this is an interesting vendor-neutral site for those who are interested in XML and Databases
• XMLSuck.com - a web site covering essential issues, opinions, and programming advice from the XML developer community.
• XWSS.org - Web Services Security Forum - Dedicated to Security and XML Web Services - A forum and resource for security, audit and application development professionals
• ZDNet's Enterprise Applications Update - News on enterprise applications, including Web services, ERP, ...
• WSReview.com - WSReview.com provides articles about software and systems to connect platforms, processes and personnel in the real-time enterprise.
• VB2theMax: Welcome - The on-line knowledge repository for VB developers, focusing very much on .NET and Web services these days
• ZapThink: XML and Web Services Research, Analysis, and Insight - ZapThink produces and sells XML and Web Services-focused research and analysis reports.

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• Preparing for Semantic Web Services - The W3C has developed a new generation of open standard markup languages. This introductory article explains how they're poised to unleash the power, flexibility and logic of the next generation of the Web and Web Services.
• Government Semantic XML Web Services Community of Practice - The purpose of this CoP is to support the (sub)committees of the CIOC/AIC in their use of Semantic XML Web Services to demonstrate increased accessibility and interoperability. Lots of presentations, discussion material, ...
• Enterprise Interoperability: .NET and J2EE (Building Distributed Applications) - Compares several options to achieve interoperability in an enterprise architecture, including Web services, Message Oriented Middleware, and direct application bridging solutions.
• When Word-to-XML Conversion Get Nasty -- Featured Topic -- CMSWatch - One of the first hurdles facing any major content or document management implementation is what to do with legacy documents. Chances are, many or most of those documents reside in Microsoft Word format, but enterprises often want to get them into a more open format, like XML.
• Get Up to Speed on Web Services | CNET News.com - News.com overview page on web services
• .NET Will Win Battle for Mindshare Among Developers - According to a recent survey conducted among 500.000 developers by ComponentSource, an online software component marketplace, Microsoft may already be winning the battle for mindshare among software developers - even in the absence of a fully functional .NET development environment.
• Hard Sell on Web Services for Software Makers - In the coming months, look for every software company you once knew as something else to highlight itself as a Web services company. But it will be a tough idea to sell.
• RFG Web Services Resources - Industry analyst RFG has assembled a number of resources to assist IT executives in understanding, planning, and deploying Web services in their organizations:
• SAX: Simple API for XML - the official website for SAX. It replaces David Megginson's original SAX page
• The Essential Guide to Web Services - Darwin Magazine's article on Web Services (January 2002)
• Web Services Architect - Articles and papers for strategic decision makers from both a business and a technical perspective
• XML in the Fortune 500: A Decade's Overnight Success - XML is not only building bridges between Web applications, but is helping corporations transition into cutting-edge functionality.
• dotnetjunkies.com - information, tools and education on ASP.NET - ASP.NET tutorials, how-to's, code samples, news and events
• .NET Optimization Center Sponsored by Compuware - Articles on performance management, migration, debugging, ... of .Net-based web services