The new XML Web Services paradigm lets programs instantly share data and services with programs on the same or other computers, via Internet or intranet.

These computers can be in different geographical locations and can be using different operating systems, such as Windows XP and Linux.

XML Web Services is built on HTTP, common to all Web servers. XML Web Services allow one Web service (program) to call another one. XML Web Services removes the firewall obstacle to interoperability by translating language-specific instructions that would be blocked by a firewall into HTTP text that will pass through one.

Letting one program at one site interoperate with another program at another site is simply a matter of making an HTTP call, i.e., calling the appropriate URL and passing to it arguments formatted as XML.

The called program returns the results, in XML format, to the calling program.

XML Web Services allow one software component to invoke methods on another component across the Internet, with the same ease as if the remote component were on the same computer.

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