Rob Cutlip

As the usage of Web service interfaces grows, we're starting to see the emergence of some key sectors where Web services will make a huge impact. Much as Java found its sweet spot on the Web application server, Web services will find its own sweet spots. Grid computing and e-business "building blocks" are two examples of Web services sweet spots. Another area where we see Web services as critical is Business Process Management (BPM). BPM is the ability to orchestrate and control the execution of a business process across heterogeneous systems. BPM allows a user to see the components of the infrastructure from a business process view, rather than as a set of applications and databases. Part of orchestrating a business process is being able to manage the process even when it goes outside the enterprise, a common occurrence in today's e-business environment. When a proc... (more)