IT Web Services builds a compelling business case for why Web Services need to be seriously considered by businesses of all sizes. It also book provides a framework for understanding Web Services and related technologies including XML, SOAP, UDDI and WSDL. Recognizing that the standards alone do not completely address many of the challenges faced by enterprises including security, provisioning, versioning, etc., the book also covers Web Services Networks and explains the pros/cons of adopting this technology. Featuring over a dozen in-depth interviews and case studies with executives at leading technology firms (Iona, SilverStream, etc.) as well as early adopters (Putnam Lovell, etc.) Nghiem provides lessons learned from real companies who have leveraged Web Services to significantly reduce integration costs and create new markets. A decision maker can quickly read these case studies and learn why Web Services are a critical technology that bears further investigation.