Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Throughout this book, we've examined the Web services architecture. This includes baseline specifications—such as XML, SOAP, and WSDL—and more advanced specifications that provide for advanced features—such as WS-Security and DIME. We've also examined the implementation features found on the .NET platform.

This architecture is a living one, and it is by no means frozen. It will continue to evolve over the next several years. Changes to this architecture— some quite dramatic to meet real-world needs—will take place as the existing specifications develop and new specifications are created as a result of implementation experience and the standards process. However, the architecture as it exists today is already solving problems and is very well suited to building interoperable solutions. As changes occur, I'll keep an update on my Web site (http://www.keithba.com/book).

Happy SOAP-ing!