Applications

Much like XML-RPC, the applications for Axis and Web services are broad. Anywhere you can think of invoking a method on an object is a possible candidate for a Web service. The primary areas where Web services can make a difference are as follows:

• Invoking functionality on a machine not owned by you.

• Invoking functionality on a machine that uses a different language and/or platform.

Today, most of the activity in Web services involves using Web services to integrate heterogeneous applications within the same organization. We’re beginning to see some use of Web services to integrate applications across the Internet. eBay, Google, and Amazon.com have started developer programs that allow access to their applications via Web services technologies.

Perhaps your company will be the next one to expose pieces of an application to the world using Web services. Or, maybe you’ll create a new application that talks to one of the big players. In either case, Axis is a capable and reliable Web services toolkit.