17.0 Introduction

When the World Wide Web was first created, the goal was to get hyperlinked textual data from a server to any connecting computers. The discovery that static Web pages required continuous updating and maintenance to keep up with the fast-paced world brought about the advent of dynamic server-side pages using the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). An explosion in server-side technologies led to such programs as PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), ColdFusion, and, of course, Active Server Pages (ASP). However, the original equation of a single server communicating with multiple clients still existed. Web Services bridge the communication barrier between servers by using open standards to facilitate definition, discovery, and a communication protocol of data methods between remote computers. This chapter looks at how to create, implement, and publish ASP.NET Web Services and how to use a Web Service with a Windows Form and Web Form application.