Proxy Server for Transparent Web Service Address Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many applications are unable to efficiently locate web service addresses due to a lack of UDDI awareness, and service providers face challenges in changing web service addresses without affecting requesting applications.
Innovation Solution
A proxy server system that receives communications with a first address, locates a corresponding second address, and sends it to the requesting application, enabling universal web service communication and allowing service providers to change addresses without notifying applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If applications use direct web service address lookup, then communication is straightforward, but applications cannot reliably locate web services in a universal manner and service providers cannot change addresses without notifying applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary component between requesting applications and web services. The proxy server receives requests containing web service addresses, resolves these addresses through UDDI lookup, and forwards requests to the actual service endpoints. This mediator enables applications to communicate with web services without needing direct UDDI awareness, while allowing service providers to change addresses transparently through the proxy's address resolution mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If service providers change web addresses, then service flexibility is improved, but requesting applications must be notified of the change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the proxy server perform address resolution before the requesting application sends its request. The proxy server maintains a mapping between service names and current addresses, resolving addresses in advance so that when applications make requests, they automatically receive the current service addresses without needing explicit notification of changes.
3Reliability
If applications are made UDDI aware, then web service location becomes reliable, but applications require complex UDDI awareness adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the proxy server as a mediator that handles UDDI awareness on behalf of requesting applications. The proxy server performs the complex UDDI lookup operations to resolve web service addresses, while requesting applications simply provide service names without needing to understand or implement UDDI protocols themselves. This separates the complexity of UDDI awareness from the application layer.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for web service communication are provided. A first communication is received for a web service that comprises a first address. A second address is then located corresponding to the first address. A second communication, including the request in the first communication, is sent the second address, and the response returned to the originator.