Abstract: Web services may be provided by creating an electronic record of a contract for a service provider to provide web services meeting a web service category definition at a web services hub of a service domain, and providing a web service to a service requestor from the service domain responsive to the electronic record of the contract. A plurality of ports operative to provide web services meeting the service category definition may be identified at the web service hub, and the web service may be provided to the service requester responsive to identification of the ports. For example, a plurality of ports may be identified by polling at least one web services node subordinate to the web services hub to identify at least one service provided by the node, and updating a description of a service category, e.g., a WSDL document, responsive to the polling. A plurality of levels of web services nodes may be polled using a coordinated polling interval scheme to create an updated service view for the service hub.

Abstract: Under the present invention, a user-issued request for services is received and validated based on the service policy. Once validated, an initial set of service providers from a grid are identified. Once identified, the set can be dynamically varied based on monitored performances of the service providers, and/or based on the discovery of other service providers from other grids. Once the set is finalized, one or more particular service providers are selected to process the request. This system allows the grid to automatically respond to events monitored to optimize and provide reliable operations.