Special Edition Using SOAP

Using SOAP to Move Data

The whole reason to use any protocol is to move data. The applications you create move data requests from a client to a server, and then the reply from the server to the client. A server might have to call on the services of another server to answer client requests. Two servers might exchange data in an effort to optimize operations or perform tasks like user validation. In the end, it all amounts to moving data from one place to another, shuffling it around a bit to produce a result, and storing it in yet another place.

Therefore, a true measure of a protocol is how well it moves data around. Not only do you need to consider the speed at which the protocol moves the data, but also the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability ...