Using Web Services for Integration

Using Web Services, San Diego Media can interface your existing accounting, inventory, ERP, MRP, web analytics, and campaign management software with MaxEXP® to create the complete eBusiness solution. San Diego Media also offers custom Web Services for clients currently not on the MaxEXP® system.

What are Web Services?
Web Services are platform independent software application interfaces that can seamlessly integrate all of your systems allowing for a single source web interface. See diagram below.

How Web Services Work

In practical business terms, Web Services have emerged as a powerful mechanism for integrating disparate IT systems and assets. They work using widely accepted technologies and are governed by commonly adopted standards. Web Services can be adopted incrementally with little risk and at low cost. Today, enterprises use Web Services for point-to-point application integration, to reuse existing IT assets, and to securely connect to business partners or customers.

Benefits of Web Services
Web Services provide several essential business benefits that translate into a rapid ROI.

1. Reduced costs. Because Web Services use open standards, the cost point is substantially reduced. You do not have to use the more traditional and expensive software product suites to build successful solutions.
2. Ease of use. Web services are easier to adapt and use than traditional integration methods. The faster learning curve translates into faster deployment, increasing your productivity and producing a rapid ROI.
3. Reuse capability. The Web services reuse capability reduces the amount of new services that need to be developed, again increasing your overall productivity and lowering costs.
4. Flexibility. Web Services based integration solutions are more flexible, decreasing the time and effort required to meet changing business needs.

Web Services exhibit the following definitive characteristics:

• A Web Service is accessible over the Web. Web Services communicate using platform-independent and language-neutral Web protocols. These Web protocols ensure easy integration of heterogeneous environments.
• A Web Service provides an interface that can be called from another program. This application-to-application programming interface can be invoked from any type of application client or service. The Web Service interface acts as a liaison between the Web and the actual application logic that implements the Service.
• A Web Service is registered and can be located through a Web Service Registry. The registry enables service consumers to find services that match their needs.
• Web Services support loosely coupled connections between systems. Web Services communicate by passing messages to each other. The Web Service interface adds a layer of abstraction to the environment that makes the connections flexible and adaptable.

For more information on Web Services read our whitepaper An Introduction to Web Services.