WebMethods Glue

webMethods Glue is an enterprise web services platform from webMethods to provide web services/SOAP capabilities to existing Java and C/C++ applications. [http://www.webmethods.com/Products/ESP/WebServicesDev webMethods web services Development] ]

The Java based product enables developers to add enterprise web services integration to their legacy applications with little or no programming effort. It is intended as an embeddable product (small footprint [http://tim.oreilly.com/pub/d/506 orielly 2001 article on GLUE] ] ) to quickly turn a non web service enabled application into one which exposes functionality as web services. [http://www.webmethods.com/News/PressReleases/Details?pressReleaseDetails_param0=3213&hiddenRequest=true webMethods to offer OEM license of Glue] ] Similar to the open source Apache Axis, the Glue product is about providing a layer of web service operability with existing applications. [http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid26_gci842794,00.html Glue3.0 release article] ]

Product Features

The following are the features of webMethods Glue [http://www.webmethods.com/Products/ESP/WebServicesDev/Features Glue detailed feature list] ]
* little or no coding to expose application functionality as webServices
* standalone operation if required (does not require an application server)
* fast local messaging
* transparent Java/XML integration
* web services standards support
* small memory footprint

Product History

Created by The Mind Electric, GLUE as it was then named was the company's flagship product. It was released in two flavours: the free unsupported "Standard" version and the company supported but commercial licensed "Professional" edition. [http://webservices.sys-con.com/read/39905.htm Glue 4.1 released Article] ]

In September 2003 GLUE featured in a Microsoft Press book titled "Microsoft .NET and J2EE Interoperability Toolkit." [http://www.gridtoday.com/03/0915/101954.html Glue featured in Microsoft Press book] ] .

The product was acquired by webMethods as part of the merger with The Mind Electric [http://news.com.com/2100-7345_3-5090102.html cnet article "WebMethods buys a new direction"] ] . The merger resulted in a rebranding of the product with the webMethods prefix to become "webMethods Glue". [http://www.webmethods.com/News/PressReleases/Details?pressReleaseDetails_param0=3153&hiddenRequest=true webMethods Press release on The Mind Electric takeover] ]

Release History

* GLUE 3.0 - Aug 2002
* GLUE 4.0 - April 2003 [http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=18169 The Server Side Glue4.0 announcement] ] [http://radio.weblogs.com/0109134/2003/04/04.html Announcing Glue 4.0] ]
* GLUE 4.1 - June 2003 [http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=20019 The Serverside Glue 4.1 announcement] ]

Technologies/Standards

HTTP, Servlets, XML, SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI

References