Ajax is used not only for interactive user interface but also to provide real-time data.

The VetSource SOA is based on RESTful services, but can interact with SOAP-based Web services. According to Sutter, “All the services we’re deploying in Mule are RESTful services. We use SOAP externally. Some of our partners provide their services over SOAP.”

5. Microsoft contributes Web services protocol:

Microsoft has announced its contribution in Web services protocol specification for consumer scanning peripherals (WS-Scan) to the Printer Working Group (PWG). This will help to make the products interoperable across multiple platforms. It will also provide new functionality and manageability improvements to customers. WS-Scan is a common framework for sharing information between Windows Vista and consumer scanning peripherals.

Jerry Thrasher, PWG chair and senior standards engineer for Lexmark International Inc. said, “Microsoft’s WS-Scan specification is a significant contribution to the Printer Working Group. It will greatly help us in our effort for industry wide standardization of networked multifunction device behaviors and capability representation. The PWG Semantic Model, a widely adopted model of network printer behaviors and capabilities, is being extended to include multifunction devices. Maintaining a consistent model for behaviors and capabilities of multifunction devices within the industry not only improves interoperability across operating environments, but also helps reduce implementation costs for device manufacturers.”