Structured methodology and design patterns for web services

• US 7,831,693 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lai, Ray Y
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDY
• Application Number:
  US10/642,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,640 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/218, 709/229, 709/220, 706/27, 717/105
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

System and method for designing and implementing Web Services according to a structured methodology and design patterns. Embodiments may incorporate a structured methodology, best practices and design patterns that address reliability, availability and scalability of Web Services architecture. Embodiments may provide mechanisms for integrating heterogeneous technology components into Web Services. Embodiments may provide a vendor-independent Web Services architecture framework and reusable Web Services design patterns, which may be used in creating end-to-end solutions based on past experience and best practices. Embodiments may include design patterns and best practices for delivering Web Services solutions with Quality of Services. One embodiment may provide a Business-to-Business Integration (B2Bi) integration framework for Web Services. Embodiments may provide a Web Security framework and design patterns for designing end-to-end Web Services security.

Claims

1. A Web Service system, comprising:

a plurality of heterogeneous hardware components configured to implement a Web Service providing one or more services, wherein the Web Service comprises;

a service provider configured to provide access to the one or more services provided by the Web Service via a network; and

one or more service requesters configured to access the one or more services via the service provider over the network;

wherein the Web Service system is configured and implemented according to a vendor-independent Web Service architecture generated according to a structured design process for designing and generating vendor-independent Web Service architectures such that;

the plurality of heterogeneous hardware components are organized according to two or more tiers and two or more layers of the Web Service architecture; and

one or more Web Services design patterns are applied to the Web Service architecture, wherein each design pattern models a particular structure that is applicable to the Web Service.

2. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service architecture is configured to incorporate Quality of Services including reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service system.

3. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service further comprises a service broker configured to interact with the service provider and service requester to negotiate and provide the services to the service requester.

4. The Web Service system as recited in claim 3, wherein the service provider is configured to serve as the service broker.

5. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service system further comprises a service registry, wherein the service provider is further configured to register and publish the services in the service registry, and wherein the service requester is further configured to discover the services through the service registry.

6. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service system is a Business-to-Consumer Web Service system, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is an end user.

7. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service system is a Business-to-Business Web Service system, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is a server.

8. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service system comprises a plurality of layers as defined by the Web Service architecture, wherein the plurality of layers comprises two or more of:

a network layer configured to serve as an underlying network for services;

a transport layer for delivering messages between components of the Web Service;

a service description language layer configured to describe service type and functionality of the services of the service provider;

a transaction routing layer configured to route messages on the transport layer;

a service discovery layer configured to search for and locate services;

a service negotiation layer configured to negotiate exchanges between the service requesters and the service provider;

a management layer configured for provisioning of the services and for monitoring and administration of the services;

a Quality of Service layer configured to provide reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service system;

a security layer configured to provide authentication, entitlement, and nonrepudiation security on the transport layer;

or

an Open Standards layer.

9. The Web Service system as recited in claim 8, wherein the Open Standards layer is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

10. The Web Service system as recited in claim 8, wherein the network layer is public Internet over Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

11. The Web Service system as recited in claim 8, wherein the transport layer is one of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) over HTTP.

12. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more Web Services design patterns include one or more of:

one or more scalability design patterns;

one or more reliability design patterns;

one or more manageability design patterns;

one or more availability design patterns;

or

one or more security design patterns.

13. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more Web Services design patterns include one or more of:

one or more Quality of Services design patterns;

one or more Integration design patterns;

or

one or more Security design patterns.

14. The Web Service system as recited in claim 13, wherein the Quality of Services design patterns include one or more of:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Cache Design Pattern;

a Java Message Service (JMS) Bridge Design Pattern;

a Multiple Servlet Engines Design Pattern;

an Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) Load Balancer Design Pattern;

a State Management Design Pattern;

a SOAP Logger Design Pattern;

a High Availability of Service Registry Design Pattern;

a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) Deployment Design Pattern;

a Publish, Unpublish, and Discover Web Services Design Pattern;

a Version Management of Deployment and Service Registry Design Pattern;

or

a Registry Content Management Design Pattern.

15. The Web Service system as recited in claim 13, wherein the Integration design patterns include one or more of:

an Application-to-Application Design Pattern;

a Standard Build Design Pattern;

a Hub-Spoke Replication Design Pattern;

a Federated Replication Design Pattern;

a Multi-Step Application Integration Design Pattern;

a Data Exchange Design Pattern;

a Closed Process Integration Design Pattern;

an Open Process Integration Design Pattern;

a Service Consolidation-Broker Integration design pattern;

or

a Reverse Auction-Broker Integration design pattern.

16. The Web Service system as recited in claim 13, wherein the Security design patterns include one or more of:

A Single Sign-on Design Pattern;

or

a Messaging Transport Design Pattern.

17. The Web Service system as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web Service system comprises a plurality of tiers as defined by the Web Service architecture, wherein the plurality of tiers comprises two or more of:

a client tier;

a presentation tier;

a business tier;

an integration tier;

or

a resource tier.

18. A system for generating a vendor-independent Web Service architecture comprising a plurality of heterogeneous components, comprising:

means for generating one or more Use Cases for the Web Service in accordance with one or more design patterns, wherein each Use Case models a particular business scenario for the Web Service, and wherein each design pattern models a structure that is applicable under certain conditions;

means for generating a high-level architecture for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said means for generating the high-level architecture identifies two or more entities of the Web Service and relationships and interactions among the two or more entities; and

means for generating a logical architecture for the Web Service according to the business scenarios modeled by the one or more Use Cases and in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said means for generating the logical architecture identifies two or more logical components of the Web Service and relationships among the two or more logical components according to two or more tiers, and wherein the generated logical architecture comprises two or more layers.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the Web Service architecture incorporates Quality of Services including reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service system.

20. A method, comprising:

performing by one or more computers;

generating a vendor-independent Web Service architecture comprising a plurality of heterogeneous components in accordance with one or more design patterns, wherein each design pattern models a particular structure that is applicable in a Web Service under certain conditions, and wherein said generating a vendor-independent Web Services architecture comprises;

generating one or more Use Cases for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein each Use Case models a particular business scenario for the Web Service, and wherein said generating one or more Use Cases comprises;

obtaining requirements, including user requirements and technical requirements, for the Web Service; and

encapsulating the obtained requirements for the Web Service into the one or more Use Cases for the Web Service;

generating a high-level architecture for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said generating the high-level architecture comprises identifying two or more entities of the Web Service and relationships and interactions among the two or more entities; and

generating a logical architecture for the Web Service according to the business scenarios modeled by the one or more Use Cases and in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said generating the logical architecture comprises identifying two or more logical components of the Web Service and relationships among the two or more logical components according to two or more tiers, and wherein the logical architecture comprises two or more layers; and

implementing the Web Service according to the generated Web Service architecture.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said generating a high-level architecture for the Web Service further comprises identifying one or more Open Standards protocols for use in said interactions among the two or more entities.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the Web Service architecture incorporates Quality of Services including reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the two or more entities comprise:

a service provider configured to provide one or more services on the Web Service; and

one or more service requesters configured to access the one or more services from the service provider via a network.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the two or more entities further comprise a service broker configured to interact with the service provider and service requester to negotiate and provide the services of the service provider to the service requester.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the two or more entities further comprise a service registry, wherein the service provider is further configured to register and publish the services in the service registry, and wherein the service requester is further configured to discover the service provider through the service registry.

26. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Consumer Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is an end user.

27. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Business Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is a server.

28. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the two or more layers of the logical architecture comprise two or more of:

a network layer configured to serve as an underlying network for services;

a transport layer for delivering messages between components of the Web Service;

a service description language layer configured to describe service type and functionality of the services of the service provider;

a transaction routing layer configured to route messages on the transport layer;

a service discovery layer configured to search for and locate services;

a service negotiation layer configured to negotiate exchanges between the service requesters and the service provider;

a management layer configured for provisioning of the services and for monitoring and administration of the services;

a Quality of Service layer configured to provide reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service;

a security layer configured to provide authentication, entitlement, and non-repudiation security on the transport layer;

or

an Open Standards layer.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the Open Standards layer is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the network layer is public Internet over Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the transport layer is one of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) over HTTP.

32. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more design patterns include one or more of:

one or more scalability design patterns;

one or more reliability design patterns

one or more manageability design patterns;

one or more availability design patterns;

or

one or more security design patterns.

33. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more design patterns include one or more of:

one or more Quality of Services design patterns;

one or more Integration design patterns;

or

one or more Security design patterns.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the Quality of Services design patterns include one or more of:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Cache Design Pattern;

a Java Message Service (JMS) Bridge Design Pattern;

a Multiple Servlet Engines Design Pattern;

an Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) Load Balancer Design Pattern;

a State Management Design Pattern;

a SOAP Logger Design Pattern;

a High Availability of Service Registry Design Pattern;

a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) Deployment Design Pattern;

a Publish, Unpublish, and Discover Web Services Design Pattern;

a Version Management of Deployment and Service Registry Design Pattern;

or

a Registry Content Management Design Pattern.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the Integration design patterns include one or more of:

an Application-to-Application Design Pattern;

a Standard Build Design Pattern;

a Hub-Spoke Replication Design Pattern;

a Federated Replication Design Pattern;

a Multi-Step Application Integration Design Pattern;

a Data Exchange Design Pattern;

a Closed Process Integration Design Pattern;

an Open Process Integration Design Pattern;

a Service Consolidation-Broker Integration design pattern;

or

a Reverse Auction-Broker Integration design pattern.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the Security design patterns include one or more of:

a Single Sign-on Design Pattern;

or

a Messaging Transport Design Pattern.

37. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the logical architecture further comprises a plurality of tiers, wherein the plurality of tiers comprises two or more of:

a client tier;

a presentation tier;

a business tier;

an integration tier;

or

a resource tier.

38. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

generating a vendor-independent Web Service architecture for implementing a Web Service, wherein the Web Service architecture comprises a plurality of heterogeneous components in accordance with one or more design patterns, wherein each design pattern models a particular structure that is applicable in a Web Service under certain conditions, and wherein, in said generating a vendor-independent Web Services architecture, the program instructions are computer-executable to implement;

generating one or more Use Cases for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein each Use Case models a particular business scenario for the Web Service, and wherein, in said generating one or more Use Cases, the program instructions are computer-executable to implement;

obtaining requirements, including user requirements and technical requirements, for the Web Service; and

encapsulating the obtained requirements for the Web Service into the one or more Use Cases for the Web Service;

generating a high-level architecture for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein, in said generating the high-level architecture, the program instructions are computer-executable to implement identifying two or more entities of the Web Service and relationships and interactions among the two or more entities;

generating a logical architecture for the Web Service according to the business scenarios modeled by the one or more Use Cases and in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein, in said generating the logical architecture, the program instructions are computer-executable to implement identifying two or more logical components of the Web Service and relationships among the two or more logical components according to two or more tiers, and wherein the logical architecture comprises two or more layers.

39. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein, in said generating a high-level architecture for the Web Service, the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement identifying one or more Open Standards protocols for use in said interactions among the two or more entities.

40. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the Web Service architecture incorporates Quality of Services including reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service.

41. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the two or more entities comprise:

a service provider configured to provide one or more services on the Web Service; and

one or more service requesters configured to access the one or more services from the service provider via a network.

42. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the two or more entities further comprise a service broker configured to interact with the service provider and service requester to negotiate and provide the services of the service provider to the service requester.

43. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the two or more entities further comprise a service registry, wherein the service provider is further configured to register and publish the services in the service registry, and wherein the service requester is further configured to discover the service provider through the service registry.

44. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Consumer Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is an end user.

45. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Business Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is a server.

46. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the two or more layers of the logical architecture comprise two or more of:

a network layer configured to serve as an underlying network for services;

a transport layer for delivering messages between components of the Web Service;

a service description language layer configured to describe service type and functionality of the services of the service provider;

a transaction routing layer configured to route messages on the transport layer;

a service discovery layer configured to search for and locate services;

a service negotiation layer configured to negotiate exchanges between the service requesters and the service provider;

a management layer configured for provisioning of the services and for monitoring and administration of the services;

a Quality of Service layer configured to provide reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service;

a security layer configured to provide authentication, entitlement, and non-repudiation security on the transport layer;

or

an Open Standards layer.

47. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 46, wherein the Open Standards layer is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

48. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 46, wherein the network layer is public Internet over Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

49. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 46, wherein the transport layer is one of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) over HTTP.

50. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the one or more design patterns include one or more of:

one or more scalability design patterns;

one or more reliability design patterns

one or more manageability design patterns;

one or more availability design patterns;

or

one or more security design patterns.

51. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the one or more design patterns include one or more of:

one or more Quality of Services design patterns;

one or more Integration design patterns;

or

one or more Security design patterns.

52. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 51, wherein the Quality of Services design patterns include one or more of:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Cache Design Pattern;

a Java Message Service (JMS) Bridge Design Pattern;

a Multiple Servlet Engines Design Pattern;

an Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) Load Balancer Design Pattern;

a State Management Design Pattern;

a SOAP Logger Design Pattern;

a High Availability of Service Registry Design Pattern;

a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) Deployment Design Pattern;

a Publish, Unpublish, and Discover Web Services Design Pattern;

a Version Management of Deployment and Service Registry Design Pattern;

or

a Registry Content Management Design Pattern.

53. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 51, wherein the Integration design patterns include one or more of:

an Application-to-Application Design Pattern;

a Standard Build Design Pattern;

a Hub-Spoke Replication Design Pattern;

a Federated Replication Design Pattern;

a Multi-Step Application Integration Design Pattern;

a Data Exchange Design Pattern;

a Closed Process Integration Design Pattern;

an Open Process Integration Design Pattern;

a Service Consolidation-Broker Integration design pattern;

or

a Reverse Auction-Broker Integration design pattern.

54. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 51, wherein the Security design patterns include one or more of:

a Single Sign-on Design Pattern;

or

a Messaging Transport Design Pattern.

55. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the logical architecture further comprises a plurality of tiers, wherein the plurality of tiers comprises two or more of:

a client tier;

a presentation tier;

a business tier;

an integration tier;

or

a resource tier.

56. A method for designing and implementing a vendor-independent Web Service architecture, comprising:

performing by one or more computers;

identifying one or more logical components of the Web Service architecture according to one or more use case requirements for a Web Service, wherein each use case requirement specifies a particular business scenario for the Web Service;

translating the one or more use case requirements and one or more technical requirements for the Web Service to determine a plurality of heterogeneous Web Service components for the Web Service architecture;

categorizing the Web Service components according to a Web Service architecture framework;

organizing the Web Service components according to two or more tiers and two or more layers of the Web Service architecture;

modifying one or more software components for the Web Service architecture according to one or more architecture principles for each of the one or more tiers and the one or more layers of the Web Service architecture;

applying one or more Web Services design patterns to the Web Service architecture, wherein each design pattern models a particular structure that is applicable to the Web Service;

implementing a Web Service according to the Web Service architecture; and

assessing quality of services provided by the Web Service after said implementing the Web Service.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein said categorizing the Web Service components according to a Web Service architecture framework comprises categorizing the Web Service components into one or more of service delivery, service management, identity/policy and services Web Service components.

58. The method as recited in claim 56, further comprising generating the one or more use case requirements for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said generating one or more use case requirements comprises:

obtaining requirements, including user requirements and the technical requirements, for the Web Service; and

encapsulating the obtained requirements for the Web Service into the one or more use case requirements for the Web Service.

59. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the Web Service architecture incorporates Quality of Services including reliability, scalability, and availability on the Web Service.

60. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the Web Service comprises:

a service provider configured to provide one or more services on the Web Service; and

one or more service requesters configured to access the one or more services from the service provider via a network; and

a service broker configured to interact with the service provider and service requester to negotiate and provide the services of the service provider to the service requester.

61. The method as recited in claim 60, wherein the Web Service further comprises a service registry, wherein the service provider is further configured to register and publish the services in the service registry, and wherein the service requester is further configured to discover the service provider through the service registry.

62. The method as recited in claim 60, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Consumer Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is an end user.

63. The method as recited in claim 60, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Business Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is a server.

64. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the two or more layers comprise two or more of:

a network layer;

a transport layer;

a service description language layer;

a transaction routing layer;

a service discovery layer;

a service negotiation layer;

a management layer;

a Quality of Service layer;

a security layer;

or

an Open Standards layer.

65. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the two or more tiers comprise two or more of:

a client tier;

a presentation tier;

a business tier;

an integration tier;

or

a resource tier.

66. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the one or more Web Services design patterns include one or more of:

one or more Quality of Services design patterns;

one or more Integration design patterns;

or

one or more Security design patterns.

67. The method as recited in claim 66, wherein the Quality of Services design patterns include one or more of:

a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Cache Design Pattern;

a Java Message Service (JMS) Bridge Design Pattern;

a Multiple Servlet Engines Design Pattern;

an Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) Load Balancer Design Pattern;

a State Management Design Pattern;

a SOAP Logger Design Pattern;

a High Availability of Service Registry Design Pattern;

a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) Deployment Design Pattern;

a Publish, Unpublish, and Discover Web Services Design Pattern;

a Version Management of Deployment and Service Registry Design Pattern;

or

a Registry Content Management Design Pattern.

68. The method as recited in claim 66, wherein the Integration design patterns include one or more of:

an Application-to-Application Design Pattern;

a Standard Build Design Pattern;

a Hub-Spoke Replication Design Pattern;

a Federated Replication Design Pattern;

a Multi-Step Application Integration Design Pattern;

a Data Exchange Design Pattern;

a Closed Process Integration Design Pattern;

an Open Process Integration Design Pattern;

a Service Consolidation-Broker Integration design pattern;

or

a Reverse Auction-Broker Integration design pattern.

69. The method as recited in claim 66, wherein the Security design patterns include one or more of:

a Single Sign-on Design Pattern;

or

a Messaging Transport Design Pattern.

70. A method for designing and implementing a vendor-independent Web Service architecture, comprising:

performing by one or more computers;

identifying and building one or more security components according to one or more use case requirements for a Web Service, wherein each use case requirement specifies a particular business scenario for the Web Service;

identifying one or more Web Service objects of the Web Service architecture to be protected;

defining an object relationship for security protection in the Web Service architecture;

identifying one or more associated trust domains for the Web Service architecture, security policy and strategy for the Web Service architecture, and one or more threat profiles for the Web Service architecture;

determining one or more protection schemes and measures for the Web Services objects;

applying one or more Web Services design patterns to the Web Service architecture where appropriate, wherein each design pattern models a particular structure that is applicable to the Web Service;

implementing a Web Service according to the Web Service architecture; and

assessing security levels of the Web Service according to two or more tiers of the Web Service architecture after said implementing the Web Service.

71. The method as recited in claim 70, further comprising applying one or more Web Services security tools to implement the one or more protection schemes and measures for the Web Services objects.

72. The method as recited in claim 70, further comprising generating the one or more use case requirements for the Web Service in accordance with the one or more design patterns, wherein said generating one or more use case requirements comprises:

obtaining requirements, including user requirements and technical requirements, for the Web Service; and

encapsulating the obtained requirements for the Web Service into the one or more use case requirements for the Web Service.

73. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the Web Service comprises:

a service provider configured to provide one or more services on the Web Service; and

one or more service requesters configured to access the one or more services from the service provider via a network; and

a service broker configured to interact with the service provider and service requester to negotiate and provide the services of the service provider to the service requester.

74. The method as recited in claim 73, wherein the Web Service further comprises a service registry, wherein the service provider is further configured to register and publish the services in the service registry, and wherein the service requester is further configured to discover the service provider through the service registry.

75. The method as recited in claim 73, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Consumer Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is an end user.

76. The method as recited in claim 73, wherein the Web Service is a Business-to-Business Web Service, wherein the service provider is a business service provider, and wherein the service requester is a server.

77. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the Web Service architecture comprises a plurality of layers, where the plurality of layers comprises two or more of:

a network layer;

a transport layer;

a service description language layer;

a transaction routing layer;

a service discovery layer;

a service negotiation layer;

a management layer;

a Quality of Service layer;

a security layer;

or

an Open Standards layer.

78. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the two or more tiers comprise two or more of:

a client tier;

a presentation tier;

a business tier;

an integration tier;

or

a resource tier.

79. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the one or more Web Services design patterns include one or more of:

one or more Quality of Services design patterns;

one or more Integration design patterns;

or

one or more Security design patterns.

80. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the one or more Web Services design patterns include one or more of:

a Single Sign-on Design Pattern;

or

a Messaging Transport Design Pattern.