Web Services and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) are a set of emerging
technologies and concepts that are designed to enable application systems to
seamlessly integrate. The systems can run either on the same
computer or on different computers that are connected via a
network. A high-speed SDSL connection can be used to connect the computers
via the Internet.
Historically, it has been very difficult to get computer systems to "talk".
Vendors have routinely develop proprietary software that don't adhere to
open standards. Consequently, businesses have often been forced to
purchase software packages
from the same vendor if they want their systems to integrate. Because Web Services and SOA are platform independent and vendor neutral,
different types of systems can now integrate electronically.
To communicate with other systems, SOA applications exchange messages using XML
stored in plain text
files. Just as HTML has allowed computers to share information visually
across different platforms, operating systems, and types of hardware, XML is
now allowing information exchange to occur using non-visual interfaces.
A high-speed broadband connection like SDSL is required for computers to
pass XML messages from one computer to another. Because SDSL is
able to send and receive data at the same bit-rate, it is
well suited for SOA applications.

The diagram above depicts information being shared between a Widget
business and its suppliers and consumers, using SDSL Internet connections
and platform independent web services.