Web Services Explained, Solutions and Applications for the Real World

Dozens upon dozens of new books are available on the topic of "Web services." Here are some reasons for choosing to read this one:

• Nontechnical approach: This book is thoroughly nontechnical. It provides the necessary basic familiarization with certain technical concepts such as program-to-program communications, registries (directories), and "protocols," but its main focus is on the strategic business benefits that can be derived from Web services.

• Learning by example: This book uses theoretical as well as real-world scenarios to illustrate what is strategically possible as well as what is being accomplished using Web services. It shows how Web services can be and are being used to create competitive advantage, to modify product packaging, to reduce development costs, and the like. The theoretical examples show business executives how they can potentially exploit Web services; the real-world examples show them what is being done using Web services today.

• Determining vendor selection criteria: This book also helps business executives determine the right selection/buying criteria for their respective organizations to use in accessing Web services products and services. It describes three approaches that can be used to create or obtain Web services applications, and it gives examples of vendor offerings using each approach. This analysis should help business executives more quickly determine the approach they will use and the vendor(s) they may choose in order to rapidly implement Web services application solutions within their enterprises.

If you are seeking to find out what Web services are, how to use them, and which type of vendor to partner with or to buy Web services products from, then this book is for you!