Chapter 5. XML Web Services (RPC the Easy Way)

XML Web services are, depending on your point of view, a breath of fresh air after the complexities of Microsoft .NET Remoting or a simplified approach to distributed code execution that lacks a few key features. Both arguments contain at least a grain of truth. More accurately, XML Web services represent a new approach to distributed architecture, one that favors simplicity, best design practices, and cross-platform use over raw communication speed. XML Web services provide a simple, robust, and flexible way to make a remote procedure call (RPC).

Most introductory .NET books provide a brief introduction to XML Web services and describe some of the underlying standards such as WSDL and SOAP. This chapter takes a more practical approach. We start with a quick introduction to XML Web services, examine how the technology differs from .NET Remoting, and consider where XML Web services fit into the design of an enterprise application. We also examine how you can make use of ASP.NET platform services in an XML Web service, publish the availability of an XML Web service, and consume XML Web services from other platforms.