Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide a computer-implemented method for indicating a change in a service offering. The computer-implemented method generates a token representative of a state of the service offering, and determines whether the service offering has been modified to form a modified service. Responsive to a determination that the service offering has been modified, generates a token representative of the state of the modified service, and determines whether the service offering has been restarted to form a restarted service. Responsive to a determination that the offered service has been restarted, generates a token representative of the state of the restarted service, and provides the token to a requester.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for correlating entities between a service provider and a service requester is provided. The computer-implemented method receives a request for a service from a service requester and determines whether the request contains an entity token representative of an entity referenced by the service requester that can be resolved. When the entity token is not resolved, the entity token is sent to a token correlator that requests the service requester, or an authorized party, to provide entity information. The token correlator forwards the entity information to the service provider to validate and return encrypted to the token correlator from which is generated a new entity token. The new token is sent to the service provider and, selectively, to the authorized third party, and used for locating the service of the request by the service provider.