In Understanding Web Services, leading Web Services expert Eric Newcomer systematically addresses the core issues developers and IT professionals need to understand to make intelligent decisions about Web Services. Newcomer explains exactly how Web Services work, reviews each key standard for enabling Web Services, and previews tomorrow's most important products and technologies for Web Services development. Newcomer reviews the key goals and advantages of Web Services, the applications they are best suited for, and today's key standards for describing, sending, receiving, publishing, discovering, and utilizing them. He explains how Web Services are being built upon the foundation of XML technologies, then covers each key Web Services standard in detail: SOAP transport, WSDL services description, UDDI discovery services, and ebXML message exchange. Newcomer concludes with insightful, vendor-independent coverage of today's leading tools and products for Web Services development. For every IT manager, architect, developer, and strategist who wants a thorough understanding of Web Services.