Many analysts say that Web services will be an important technology for the next generation of corporate IT. However, Mark Greatorex, director of Microsoft's dot-Net developer group, believes that many people still do not understand the extent to which Web services will change the way that firms operate.

Commenting on Microsoft's development of its dot-Net Web services technology, Greatorex says, "It lets you build the applications that will enable you participate in the new economy. If your system is able to run XML, Web services will let you build a frictionless environment, and you can exploit your existing investments, from applications right through to your databases." Greatorex says Microsoft believes Web services will improve business performance, and will enable companies to focus on their core business processes, while reducing costs.

"When businesses work internally and externally they do so through a layer of friction. Sending information, business processes, and requests through people adds costs in terms of time and money. Imagine if you can get the applications talking to each other. You can become more efficient, and add something of value for your customers and partners. Web services represent a quantum leap in the ability to compete," he says.

However, Greatorex adds that Web services are still in their infancy, thanks in part to a lack of real-world examples. However, he argues that there are already good reasons for firms to consider Web services technology, such as Microsoft's dot-Net.

"IT managers are worried about the ability to deliver to the business," he says. "They want to be able to respond to demands. Dot-Net speeds up response times. It really flips the way that businesses can move forwards, by elevating the IT department to being an enabler. The technology is quite simple but it will maximise business potential. Web services is all based on open standards. It is vendor agnostic so the only challenges [for implementation] are business challenges."

Greatorex admits that the process of deploying Web services systems may be daunting at first, but argues that patience will be rewarded. "The first time you develop something it will be hard," says Greatorex. "But because you have created something, a codebase, building applications becomes a lot easier."

Greatorex says that companies may be unsure which of the Web services technologies to use. "We expect most companies to have a dual strategy, and will be running both Java 2 Enterprise Edition [J2EE] and dot-Net."

Unsurprisingly, he predicts that most firms will find Microsoft's dot-Net technology better suited to their needs.

"Why should an enterprise choose dot-Net? Well, if you buy into Web services you are buying into open standards. J2EE is not yet built into everything, while dot-Net is everywhere. Dot-Net also has a light coupling between the operating system and the development environment, and as such takes away a lot of the development work."

Greatorex expects it will take about three years for firms to fully adopt Web services. "The use of Web services will gradually evolve. People will use it internally, and then to connect with their business partners. Within three years it will start affecting the economy."

Greatorex adds that managers should now be familiarising themselves with the technology. "At the moment there is a huge level of ignorance. IT managers think that it is just another technology and nothing to get excited about. People have to get involved in it," he argues.

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