MIDTERM TOPICS

A Web service is a method of communications between two electronic devices over the World Wide Web. It is a software function provided at a network address over the web with the service always on as in the concept of utility computing. The W3C defines a Web service as: a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network. It has an interface described in a machine-processable format (specifically WSDL). Other systems interact with the Web service in a manner prescribed by its description using SOAP messages, typically conveyed using HTTP with an XML serialization in conjunction with other Web-related standards.[1] The W3C also states: We can identify two major classes of Web services:

REST-compliant Web services, in which the primary purpose of the service is to manipulate XML representations of Web resources using a uniform set ofstateless operations; and

Arbitrary Web services, in which the service may expose an arbitrary set of operations.[2]

Explanation[edit]
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2014) Many organizations use multiple software systems for management. Different software systems often need to exchange data with each other, and a web service is a method of communication that allows two software systems to exchange this data over the internet. The software system that requests data is called a service requester, whereas the software system that would process the request and provide the data is called a service provider. Different software might be built using different programming languages, and hence there is a need for a method of data exchange that doesn't depend upon a particular programming language. Most types of software can, however, interpret XML tags. Thus web services can use XML files for data exchange. Rules for communication between different systems need to be defined, such as:

How one system can request data from another system

Which specific parameters are needed in the data request What would be the structure of the data produced. Normally, data is exchanged in XML files, and the structure of the XML file is validated by an .xsd file. What error messages to display when a certain rule for communication is not observed, to make troubleshooting easier

All of these rules for communication are defined in a file called WSDL (Web Services Description Language), which has the extension .wsdl.

Web services architecture: the service provider sends a WSDL file to UDDI. The service requester contacts UDDI to find out who is the provider for the data it needs, and then it contacts the service provider using the SOAP protocol. The service provider validates the service request and sends structured data in an XML file, using the SOAP protocol. This XML file would be validated again by the service requester using an XSD file.

A directory called UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) defines which software system should be contacted for which type of data. So when one software system needs one particular report/data, it would go to the UDDI and find out which other system it can contact for receiving that data. Once the software system finds out which other system it should contact, it would then contact that system using a special protocol called SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). The service provider system would first of all validate the data request by referring to the WSDL file, and then process the request and send the data under the SOAP protocol.

Web API[edit]

Web services in a service-oriented architecture.

A web API is a development in web services where emphasis has been moving to simpler representational state transfer (REST) based communications.[3] RESTful APIs do not require XML-based web service protocols (SOAP and WSDL) to support their interfaces.

Automated design methods[edit]

Automated tools can aid in the creation of a web service. For services using WSDL, it is possible to either automatically generate WSDL for existing classes (a bottom-up model) or to generate a class skeleton given existing WSDL (a top-down model).

A developer using a bottom-up model writes implementing classes first (in some programming language), and then uses a WSDL generating tool to expose methods from these classes as a web service. This is simpler to develop but may be harder to maintain if the original classes are subject to frequent change. [4]

A developer using a top-down model writes the WSDL document first and then uses a code generating tool to produce the class skeleton, to be completed as necessary. This model is generally considered more difficult but can produce cleaner designs and is generally more resistant to change. As long as the message formats between sender and receiver do not change, changes in the sender and receiver themselves do not affect the web service. The technique is also referred to as contract first since the WSDL (or contract between sender and receiver) is the starting point.[5]

Web services that use markup languages[edit]

There are a number of web services that use markup languages:

JSON-RPC JSON-WSP Web template Web Services Description Language (WSDL) from the W3C XML Interface for Network Services (XINS) provides a POX-style Web service specification format Web Services Conversation Language (WSCL) Web Services Flow Language (WSFL) (superseded by BPEL) WS-MetadataExchange Representational state transfer (REST) versus remote procedure call (RPC) XML-RPC - XML - Remote Procedure Call

Criticisms[edit]
Critics of non-RESTful web services often complain that they are too complex[6] and based upon large software vendors or integrators, rather than typical open sourceimplementations. There are also concerns about performance due to web services' use of XML as a message format and SOAP/HTTP in enveloping and transporting.[7]

Regression Testing of Web service[edit]

Functional and non-functional web service testing is done with the help of WSDL parsing and regression testing is performed by identifying the changes made thereafter. Web service regression testing needs can be categorized in three different ways, namely, changes in WSDL, changes in code, and selective re-testing of web service operations. To capture above three changes three intermediate forms of WSDL, namely, Difference WSDL (DWSDL), Unit WSDL (UWSDL), and Reduced WSDL (RWSDL), respectively can be used. These intermediate forms of WSDLs are then combined to form Combined WSDL (CWSDL) which is further used for regression testing of the web service. This will help in Automatic Web Service Change Management (AWSCM), by performing the selection of the relevant test cases to construct a reduced test suite from the old test suite.[8]

Data Storage
Storage Types
For the purpose of this web site, data storage is the saving of any data that may be made and stored electronically. Some examples of data storage are the following: an e-mail that is typed on your computer and saved to your Google account, a contract that is saved to a thumb drive or USB, or pictures that are saved to the hard drive of your computer. Regardless of how you store your electronic data it is important to consider the many issues that revolve around the safe storage and legal monitoring of this data. The slide outs that are connected to this menu tab address the major concerns of data storage.

Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing is the internet-based storage for files, applications, and infrastructure. One could say cloud computing has been around for many years, but now a company may buy or rent space for their daily operations. The cost savings in implementing a cloud system is substantial, and the pricing for use of cloud computing can easily be scaled up or down as determined by necessity.

Data Backup and Recovery

Get your data when you need it.

Data is the lifeblood of business organizations of all sizes. You need a complete data backup and recovery system and strategy to ensure that the critical data be available and accessible when you need it. It must be protected against loss, damage, theft and unauthorized change. And if disaster strikes, data recovery must be swift so you can get back to business quickly. No two organizations have the same data backup and recovery needs and priorities. IBM Tivoli and its Business Partners can help you meet your specific business, legal and regulatory information requirements through an assessment of key information sources such as databases, documents, and email. We use that assessment to tailor solutions for data retention, protection and retrieval that fit your business priorities. Our solutions do more than protect data theyll help you respond to business opportunities quicker and more cost-effectively, so you can focus on growth. IBM Tivoli offers these key advantages: Centrally managed, automated and non-disruptive backup-and-restore solutions that support data spread over multiple locations and a wide range of devices Anywhere-anytime access to critical information for business operations, compliance audits and legal discoveries

Fast and reliable recovery of lost data especially when dealing with disasters The only available solution for continuous real-time protection of critical files on laptops and file servers The most scalable storage management solution on the market A proven track record in effective disaster response, based on managing more than 750 infrastructure recoveries for clients, including comebacks from catastrophic events such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami. Your data is precious. Trust IBM to help you manage and protect it.