WS-I Promotes Profiles to Final Material Status.

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- Basic Profile 1.1, Attachments Profile 1.0 and Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0 Approved by WS-I Membership; WS-I Charters Working Group to Address XML Schema 

The Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) today announced the publication of its Basic Profile 1.1, Attachments Profile 1.0 and Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0 as Final Material. The Final Material designation is applied to those deliverables that have been formally approved by the WS-I member community. The profiles address interoperability issues with Web services attachments and are available for download at http://www.ws-i.org.

"WS-I understood from its members that existing Web services attachment specifications were increasingly presenting interoperability difficulties," said Chris Ferris, chair of the WS-I Basic Profile Working Group. "The new profiles provide Web services developers with a flexible mechanism for creating attachment-enabled applications with predictable interoperability."

Basic Profile 1.1

Basic Profile 1.1 describes how core Web services specifications should be used together to develop interoperable Web services. Specifically, the document consists of a set of non-proprietary Web services specifications and clarifications, refinements, interpretations and amplifications of them that promote interoperability.

To create version 1.1, the Basic Profile 1.0 was re-architected to relocate all binding-specific envelope serialization requirements to its own profile; the Simple Soap Binding Profile 1.0. This new structure enables the Basic Profile 1.1 to easily compose with any profile that specifies envelope serialization, including the Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0 and the Attachments Profile 1.0.

With the release of the profiles, Web services that use attachments can be tested for WS-I conformance with a composition of Basic Profile 1.1 and Attachments Profile 1.0. Those that do not use attachments can be tested for conformance with a composition of Basic Profile 1.1 and Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0. A claim of conformance to both the Basic Profile 1.1 and the Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0 will be equivalent to a claim of conformance to the Basic Profile 1.0 plus the published errata.

Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0

SOAP 1.1 defines an XML structure for transmitting messages, called the envelope. The Simple SOAP Binding Profile mandates the use of that structure and places certain constraints on its use. Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0 is derived from the Basic Profile 1.0 requirements related to the serialization of the envelope and its representation in the message.

Attachments Profile 1.0

SOAP Messages with Attachments (SwA) defines a MIME multipart/related structure for packaging attachments with SOAP messages. This profile complements the Basic Profile 1.1 to add support for conveying interoperable SwA-based attachments with SOAP messages.

Next Steps

WS-I is currently working to develop sample applications and testing tools for use with the newly approved Basic Profile 1.1, Attachments Profile 1.0 and Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0. In addition, at its recent community meeting, WS-I chartered a new working group, called the XML Schema Work Plan Working Group, to focus on collecting and understanding interoperability issues related to the use of XML Schema as the means by which application data is defined with the intent of determining the most suitable course of action for WS-I in addressing those concerns. If your company is interested in joining WS-I and participating in the XML Schema Work Plan Working Group, please contact [e-mail].

About WS-I

WS-I is an open industry organization committed to promoting consistent and reliable interoperability among Web services across platforms, applications and programming languages. The organization unites a diverse community of Web services companies by providing guidance, recommended practices and supporting resources for developing interoperable Web services. Since its formation in February 2002, more than 170 companies have joined WS-I. For more information please visit http://www.ws-i.org, or e-mail [e-mail].