SOAP

SOAP is platform independant

The example SOAP data packet demonstrates an important feature: SOAP is platform independant. There are no proprietary formattings or other data being hidden. The data request packet is XML and the form it is being presented in is an HTTP POST command. There is no way to infer whether the caller or receiver is Windows, Linux, Mac, or other OS. Nor can it be inferred what kind of objects are involved - whether they are COM/DCOM, Corba, RMI, or something else entirely.

SOAP can replace binary RPC

Soap is not a distributed object protocol - it operates on a lower level. SOAP is a network "wire" protocol.

What does this mean? It means that SOAP can be used as the RPC wire protocol for existing RPC and distributed object protocols - whether that be DCE's RPC, DCOM, Corba or Java's RMI. From the object user's perspective, SOAP can transparently replace the wire protocol for all of these.

SOAP is built on open standards

SOAP does not involve any proprietary standards. It is built on a foundation of two open protocols, XML and HTTP. It itself is an open standard, one that is gaining wide industry support. Its proponents include both Microsoft and Sun(!)

SOAP is secure

SOAP solves the difficult network security problems presented by proprietary technologies. And it does so again with open standards. SOAP may use either HTTPS or SSL. This is felt to be adequate in addressing almost all general transmission security needs.

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