Abstract: A data processing system implementing a service-oriented architecture that includes pluralities of service providers and service requesters, wherein each service requester includes a service invocation framework, established local to the service requester, that operatively enables direct communication of service requests between the service requester and one or more remotely distributed service providers, and wherein the service invocation framework includes a meta-data configurable mapping operator that provides for the dynamic bidirectional transformation between local service requests, as exchanged with the service requester, and remotely communicated service requests, separately exchanged with the service providers.

Abstract: Versioning of the business operation methods implemented by service providers within a distributed computer system implementing a service oriented-architecture is performed by maintaining, with respect to a collection of deployed service providers, a versioning database storing data representing the sets of version identifiers defined for the individual business operation methods of the service requester interfaces and service providers. The data further includes mapping data defining mapping compatible correspondences between select business operation method identifiers of the service requester interfaces and service providers.

Abstract: A data processing system implementing a service-oriented architecture that efficiently provides for self-directed communications between service requesters and service providers. Service providers, operative to implement a predefined computing functions, are responsive to first service requests and operative to provide a first service responses. Service requesters executed remote from service providers are operative to provide second service requests and receive second service responses. A service invocation framework local to each service requester functions to convert between first and second service requests and first and second service responses and to establish direct invocation communications connection with a selected service provider for the exchange of first service requests responses.

Abstract: A Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and accompanying method. In one embodiment, the SOA includes one or more service requesters coupled to one or more service providers via a bus. The bus includes runtime-binding functionality to facilitate interaction between the one or more service requesters and the one or more service providers. A registry, which stores information pertaining to a service provided by the one or more service providers, communicates with one or more service providers and/or requesters and the bus. In a more specific embodiment, bus includes a Service-Integration Bus (SIB) that includes a Service-Factory (SF) module for facilitating implementing the runtime binding functionality and for selectively invoking the service.