Web services refer to applications or processes that use the internet to link activities or software components. Multiple systems can communicate via the internet, provided standards are followed.
The new standard, known as WS-Addressing, is designed to allow organisations to build reliable and interoperable web service applications by setting out a standard method of expressing where a message should be delivered in a web services network.
Until now most on-line applications have been unable to talk to each other, slowing down the expected boom in web services.
The new framework should allow developers to simplify web services communication and development, and avoid the need for costly ad hoc solutions that are difficult to apply across platforms.
WS-Addressing was submitted to the W3C by industry leaders BEA Systems, IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Sun Microsystems. It represents the first time that Sun has joined in a submission with Microsoft and follows the settlement of a bitter antitrust dispute between the two rivals in April.