Abstract: A method for dynamically invoking a Web service. The method can include assembling a collection of references to remote implementations of the Web service based upon a common port type. One or more ports bound to the remote implementations of the Web service can be identified, and a set of port selection rules can be applied to the identified ports to select a particular one of the ports. Finally, the Web service can be invoked through the selected port. Notably, the identifying step can include parsing a Web service implementation document for each referenced remote implementation in the collection. The parsing can produce a list of ports through which the remote implementations can be invoked. Also, the method can further include compiling the set of port selection rules according to at least one of high-availability concerns, quality of service concerns and economic concerns.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus that, upon receipt of a Web service deployment artifact, attempts to determine a deployment strategy for the Web service and deploy the Web service using that strategy. The invention stores a plurality of deployment strategies and corresponding deployment identifiers. When it receives a deployment artifact, it checks if it is a recognized deployment descriptor object that is registered with it as a deployment identifier, and, if so, runs the corresponding deployment strategy to deploy the Web service. If this scheme does not work, it tries a second scheme in which it assumes that the artifact is a URL or URI character string and attempts to parse the artifact to determine the extension of the provided resource and use it as its deployment identifier. If it determines and recognizes the extension, it attempts to deploy the Web service utilizing the deployment strategy that it has registered as corresponding to that extension/identifier.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus that, upon receipt of a Web service deployment artifact, attempts to determine a deployment strategy for the Web service and deploy the Web service using that strategy. The invention stores a plurality of deployment strategies and corresponding deployment identifiers. When it receives a deployment artifact, it checks if it is a recognized deployment descriptor object that is registered with it as a deployment identifier, and, if so, runs the corresponding deployment strategy to deploy the Web service. If this scheme does not work, it tries a second scheme in which it assumes that the artifact is a URL or URI character string and attempts to parse the artifact to determine the extension of the provided resource and use it as its deployment identifier. If it determines and recognizes the extension, it attempts to deploy the Web service utilizing the deployment strategy that it has registered as corresponding to that extension/identifier.

Abstract: A method for dynamically invoking a Web service. The method can include assembling a collection of references to remote implementations of the Web service based upon a common port type. One or more ports bound to the remote implementations of the Web service can be identified, and a set of port selection rules can be applied to the identified ports to select a particular one of the ports. Finally, the Web service can be invoked through the selected port. Notably, the identifying step can include parsing a Web service implementation document for each referenced remote implementation in the collection. The parsing can produce a list of ports through which the remote implementations can be invoked. Also, the method can further include compiling the set of port selection rules according to at least one of high-availability concerns, quality of service concerns and economic concerns.