Web Services

Introduction

Component Based Development took objects and found a way of making them available, publicising them, to the outside world. Java's highly successful component offering was EJB (and, in a different light, servlets). A few more pieces are necessary to allow Java objects to offer truly interoperable services to the world at large: a universally-supported message transport mechanism, self-describing messages and a service description language. Through a mixture of luck and judgement, SOAP messages, XML data and WSDL (Web Services Description Language) are all enjoying wide-spread adoption. With support for these, enterprise Java objects can truly offer interoperable services across the Web.

Duration and Construction

The course lasts two days. It is based on a cycle of theory-language-practice-review, with approximately two cycles per day. One non-trivial, practical case-study is developed during the course.

Each day will start at 09.00 and finish at 16.30.

Intended Audience

Participants will be practising software engineers who already know and use Java. They will probably have attended the Advanced Java course. They may well also have attended the Java Servlets and JSP or Enterprise JavaBeans courses. Participants should also be familiar with the basic idea of networks and the world-wide web.

Aims

To understand the importance of, and rôle of, Web Services, including their relationship with .NET
To understand and practise XML parsing and the document object model (DOM)
To appreciate the importance of interoperability and WSDL (web services description language)
To review HTTP and to understand SOAP (simple object access protocol)
To understand and use XML-based RPC and SOAP
To understand and use messaging services, SOAP and J2EE containers

Numbers

We recommend that there are no more than 10 participants, each working at his or her own machine.

Deliverables

Lectures
Facilitation of discussions
Direction, assistance and feedback on exercises
Proposed solutions to the exercises
Copies of lecture slides, plus explanatory text and summaries
Reference list of books and sources

The nature and importance of Web Services, and interoperation with .NET
XML and DOM review
WSDL (web services description language)
Objects, communication, JMS and SOAP
Java XML parsing (JAX)
JAX-RPC (Java API for XML-based RPC)
JAXM (Java API for XML messaging)
HTTP, servlets and containers review
EJB review
Deployment

Site Requirements

One PC with Java 1.4 (Forte, JBuilder or Cafe) and J2EE, per participant (including one for the lecturer), preferably networked and with a printer
Data projector with a real 1024 x 768 resolution, and suitable screen
White-board, preferably not doubling up as the projector's screen; blackboard and chalk are acceptable
Flip-chart and easel, with additional flip-chart paper

Contacting

Please contact Matrice by telephone on +44 7010 704705; by fax on +44 7010 704706; by emailing bookings@matrice.co.uk; or by visiting http://www.matrice.co.uk