Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Installation and Configuration

> ## Web Services Adapter

> A Web service is an application that can be accessed over the Internet (or an intranet) using industry-standard protocols. Web services provide an industry-standard way for all types of client applications to call functions on all types of application servers, over any network configuration that supports SOAP over HTTP, and where the application program interface (API) can be described using WSDL.

> In OpenEdge, you can build and deploy Web services using the AppServer, Web service tools, and the Web Services Adapter (WSA). The Web service tools allow you to develop a Web Service-enabled AppServer application and then to deploy this application as a Web service.

> The WSA is a Java servlet running on a Web server or stand-alone JSE. This Java servlet serves as the SOAP-to-business interface gateway and Web service management engine for your Web service. Thus, the WSA provides user access to the Web service WSDL file and supports Web service administration; it also manages the exchange of Web service SOAP requests and generates SOAP responses between Web service clients and AppServers™ at run time.

> You can install the WSA as a separate stand-alone product on its own machine. It is available as a separately installable OpenEdge component, as a sub-component of the OpenEdge AppServer Enterprise product and of the OpenEdge Development Server product. It is also available as a download from the Progress Download Center Web site at http://www.progress.com/esd. For information on WSA configuration, see the WSA sections of OpenEdge Development: Web Services and OpenEdge Application Server: Administration .

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