Web service selection mechanisms in the Web Service Execution Environment (WSMX)

Semantic Web Services provide a step forward in the search for automated integration of business partners. Research in the area is mainly focused on describing, finding and using Semantic Web Services. A major area that has received little attention is the process of choosing one service from a list of services that are known to fulfill the required functionality. This process is very important as different services may be available at different prices with different levels of reliability, security, accuracy etc. The selection of which service to use depends upon the requirements of the user, while one user may require high quality another may need low price. This paper presents a vision of selection mechanisms in the Web Service Execution Environment (WSMX), that can be used by individuals and the business community alike.