Additional use case: 7 "Reversed HTTP binding for SOAP".

Additional use case:  7  "Reversed HTTP binding for SOAP".

I would like to raise an additional use case for consideration.   Because this 
is new I will give a bit of background.

Overview:

A large and growing number of devices, such as mobile terminals, personal 
computers, and appliances are nowadays equipped with HTTP clients. At the same 
time most of these devices do not operate a HTTP server because of memory 
limitations, power limitations, or because these devices are not generally 
addressable or reachable from the Internet (e.g. behind NAT, Firewall, Turned 
off, or out of service). Yet in many cases these devices could offer valuable 
services. For example they could host a number of services such as a profile 
service, a calendar service, or a location service. Such services could be 
especially valuable when such devices interact with an HTTP-based server (or 
service) that might need some specific information from one or more of the 
services hosted by the device.   

The use case presents a new binding for SOAP to HTTP with primary difference 
from the normal HTTP binding for SOAP is that here a SOAP request is bound to 
a HTTP response and vice versa. Hence the name "Reversed HTTP binding for 
SOAP".

1.	Description of the scenario

The client contacts a HTTP Server and sends a normal HTTP request. This 
initial contact informs the HTTP server that the device is available, and 
could also indicate one or more services the client supports.  

The HTTP server responds with a SOAP request message in the body of the HTTP 
response.  

At some point the client sends a HTTP message to the HTTP server. The body of 
the HTTP request contains a SOAP response message.

The HTTP server responds.  This response could be a SOAP response message, 
HTTP content, or HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted

2.	Can we achieve this use case now with the current specs? 

For SOAP 1.1 over HTTP

No we cannot achieve this using the current binding.

For SOAP 1.2 over HTTP

No we cannot achieve this using the current binding.

3. What is the minimal change that would be necessary to what spec(s) in
    order to achieve this case?

A new (SOAP Reverse HTTP) binding is needed to support this.

For WSDL 1.1 and 2.0

I suspect the answer is also no but further study is needed.


Kind regards,


Michael Eder

====================================
Michael Eder
NRC Boston
5 Wayside Road
Burlington,  MA  01803
Phone:  781 993 3636
Mobile: 617 834 1485
Fax:    781 993 1907

Received on Wednesday, 16 February 2005 18:04:15 UTC