According to recent press reports, everyone is developing Web Services, but many are still in the exploratory phase - learning what's involved and how to achieve ROI. This book is designed to give a working introduction to Web Services to help decision-makers prepare for the implementation in their companies. It demystifies the topic by providing a beginning level explanation of what this technology is, what it means to businesses, where to apply it, and how to make it work.

Using numerous simple examples, the book explains the core concepts of Web Services: SOAP, UDDI, and WSDL, as well as tools and related concepts that will help create the "big picture" in readers' minds.

About the Author

Stephen Potts is an independent consultant, author, and Java instructor in Atlanta, Georgia (United States). Stephen received his Computer Science degree in 1982 from Georgia Tech. He has worked in a number of disciplines during his 20-year career, with manufacturing being his deepest experience. His previous books include Java Unleashed and Java Primer Plus. He can be reached via email at stevepotts@mindspring.com.

Mike Kopack is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science. Mike is a Sun Certified Java Programmer with experience dating back to JDK 1.0.2. He specializes in server-side Web technologies. His prior work has involved building dynamic Web site content management systems for multibillion-dollar corporations. Currently, he works as a software engineer for ISX Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia. He can be reached via email at crazybiker_ga@yahoo.com.