This document discusses how to create a web service. It defines a web service as a method of communication between electronic devices over the World Wide Web that is "always on". It describes the key components of a web service including the service broker, SOAP, service provider, requester, WSDL, and UDDI. It provides details on SOAP and how it uses XML to allow applications to exchange information over HTTP. The document is intended to provide an overview of the basic concepts and components involved in creating a web service.