Web Service Properties

1) self-contained - no additional software is required for WS:
   a) client-side: a programming language with XML/HTML client support
   b) server-side: a web server and a SOAP server are needed
2) loosely coupled - client and server only knows about messages - a
   simple coordination level that allows for more flexible re-configuration
3) web-enabled – WS are published, located and invoked across the web,
   using established lightweight Internet standards
4) language-independent and interoperable - client and server may be
   implemented in different environments and different languages
   composable - WS can be aggregated using workflow techniques to
   perform higher-level business functions
6) dynamically bound - with UDDI and WSDL, the discovery and binding of
   web services can be automated
7) programmatic access - the web services approach does not provide a
   graphical user interface but operates at the command level
8) wrap existing applications - stand-alone applications can easily be
   integrated by implementing a web service as an interface