Chapter IV
Virtual Web Services:
Extension Architecture to Alleviate
Open Problems in Web Services
Technology
Julio Fernández Vilas
University of Vigo, Spain
Jose J. Pazos Arias
University of Vigo, Spain
Ana Fernández Vilas
University of Vigo, Spain
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aBsTraCT
Several open issues in Web services architecture are being solved by using different kinds of solutions.
Standard high-availability techniques based on the use of Web servers, business-logic-based caching
systems, dynamic binding of Web services by programming the access to a SOAP message content from
the business logic layer, and other kinds of current open problems can now be handled using a common
unique technique. What we propose is to apply virtualization techniques to Web services.
inTroduCTion
When referring to current Web service architecture, a very important aspect to take care of is the one
related to the separation of roles and the meaning of each role inside the architecture. Although the
distinction between client, provider, and directory is clear, a great part of the Web services technology
is based on a Web service offered by a provider (Booth, Haas, McCabe, Newcomer, Champion, Ferris et
al., 2004). That is, according to the roles of the current proposed architecture, the provider is intimately