Web services enable interoperability between heterogeneous platforms. This requirement arises whenever an organization finds itself with applications on one platform (for example WebSphere Application Server) that need to work with applications on another platform, whether as a result of merger and acquisition activity, of a deliberate multi-vendor strategy, or as a result of independent software purchasing decisions taken in different parts of the business.
A variety of technical solutions exist for application-to-application integration between WebSphere Application Server and other environments. Most of these involve the use of additional third-party or IBM software to facilitate the integration.
More recently, the introduction of Web services support has made interoperability possible without the use of additional components.
The absence of asynchronous, reliable support for Web services often leads you to use one of the other approaches, involving additional components. The additional components often use proprietary communication channels or APIs.
The addition of WS-ReliableMessaging support to WebSphere Application Server and to other environments enables you to develop reliable asynchronous Web services on both platforms. These services should interoperate without additional IBM or third-party components or proprietary bindings.