System and method for a Web service definition

• US 20050278348A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wiechers, Volker, Falter, Timm, Savchenko, Vladimir, Bender, Joachim, Huvar, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a system and method for a Web service definition. A development environment may receive input selecting a Web service interface. The development environment may also receive input to specify one or more system independent features of the selected interface. In an embodiment, the development environment may create a Web service definition descriptor file that includes the received input specifying the one or more system independent features.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input selecting a Web service interface, the Web service interface to provide, at least in part, an interface for a Web service implementation;

receiving an input specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service interface; and

creating a Web service definition descriptor file, the Web service definition descriptor file including the input specifying the one or more system independent features of the Web service interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input selecting the Web service interface comprises:

receiving an input selecting a Web service virtual interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the input specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying at least one of

a session feature,

a security feature,

a transport guarantee feature, and

a quality-of-service feature.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying the session feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying that a session between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client is to be stateful.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying a session feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying that a session between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client is to be stateless.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying the security feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying an authentication feature of the Web service virtual interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the input specifying the authentication feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying a minimum level of authentication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the input specifying the minimum level of authentication comprises at least one of:

receiving an input specifying no authentication for a call from a Web service client;

receiving an input specifying the Web service client is to provide a user identifier and a password; and

receiving an input specifying the use of client certificates.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying the security feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying an authorization feature for the Web service virtual interface.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying the transport guarantee feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises at least one of:

receiving an input specifying message integrity for a message sent between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client;

receiving an input specifying message confidentiality; and

receiving an input specifying both message integrity and message confidentiality.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the input specifying message confidentiality comprises:

receiving an input specifying the message is to be encrypted.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the input specifying the quality-of-service feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

receiving an input specifying that a message sent between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client is sent once.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a Web service description based, at least in part, on the Web service definition descriptor file.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the Web service description based, at least in part, on the Web service definition descriptor file comprises:

generating a Web Service Description Language (WSDL) file based, at least in part, on the Web service definition descriptor file.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

publishing the Web service description on a service directory.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a development environment to create a Web service virtual interface; and

a processor and logic executable thereon to

receive an input selecting the Web service virtual interface, the Web service virtual interface to provide, at least in part, an interface for a Web service implementation;

receive an input specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface; and

create a Web service definition descriptor file, the Web service definition descriptor file including the input specifying the one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the logic executable thereon to receive the input specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface comprises logic executable thereon to

receive an input specifying at least one of

a session feature,

a security feature,

a transport guarantee feature, and

a quality-of-service feature.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the logic executable thereon is further to

generate a Web service description based, at least in part, on the Web service definition descriptor file;

and

publish the Web service description on a service directory.

19. A system comprising:

means for selecting a Web service virtual interface, the Web service virtual interface to provide, at least in part, an interface for a Web service implementation;

means for specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface; and

means for creating a Web service definition descriptor file, the Web service definition descriptor file including the input specifying the one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for specifying one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

means for specifying at least one of

a session feature,

a security feature,

a transport guarantee feature, and

a quality-of-service feature.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for specifying the session feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

means for specifying that a session between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client is to be stateful.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for specifying the security feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

means for specifying an authentication feature of the Web service virtual interface.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for specifying a security feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises:

means for specifying an authorization feature for the Web service virtual interface.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for specifying the transport guarantee feature of the Web service virtual interface comprises at least one of:

means for specifying message integrity for a message sent between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client;

means for specifying message confidentiality for the message; and

means for specifying both message integrity and message confidentiality for the message.

25. An article of manufacture comprising:

an electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to

receive an input to select a Web service virtual interface, the Web service virtual interface to provide, at least in part, an interface for a Web service implementation;

receive an input to specify one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface; and

create a Web service definition descriptor file, the Web service definition descriptor file including the input to specify the one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to receive the input to specify one or more system independent features of the Web service virtual interface cause the apparatus to

receive an input to specify at least one of

a session feature,

a security feature,

a transport guarantee feature, and

a quality-of-service feature.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to receive the input to specify the session feature of the Web service virtual interface cause the apparatus to

receive an input to specify that a session between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client is to be stateless.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to receive the input to specify the security feature of the Web service virtual interface cause the apparatus to

receive an input to specify an authentication feature of the Web service virtual interface.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to receive an input to specify the authentication feature of the Web service virtual interface cause the apparatus to perform at least one of

receive an input to specify no authentication for a call from a Web service client;

receive an input to specify the Web service client is to provide a user identifier and a password; and

receive an input to specify the use of client certificates.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to receive the input to specify the transport guarantee feature of the Web service virtual interface cause the apparatus to perform at least one of

receive an input to specify message integrity for a message sent between the Web service virtual interface and a Web service client;

receive an input to specify message confidentiality; and

receive an input to specify both message integrity and message confidentiality.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the electronically accessible medium provides further instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to

generate a Web service description based, at least in part, on the Web service definition descriptor file;

and

publish the Web service description on a service directory.