A dynamic services infrastructure accepts data describing data resources
and stores that data in a relational database from which it may be
retrieved to handle service requests issued by application programs. The
database stores Service Definition data which is initially supplied in
the form of XML Service Descriptor documents which are then mapped into
the database from which they may be accessed. Each Service Definition
includes an input specification which identifies the address of a
resource as well as the nature of the input data to be supplied to the
resource with the request, and further includes an output specification
which describes the nature of the output information which is supplied by
the resource in response to the request. The Service Definition further
includes information describing the service provider which supplies the
resource, test information including fixed input and output values which
permit the operability of the resource to be verified, update information
which permits the infrastructure to insure that the Service Definition
information is kept current, and security information which permits the
system to validate users and provide secure encrypted information
exchanges. When a client sends a request for services to the
infrastructure, obtains the service description for the desired resource
from the database, transmits an output information request to the address
specified in said the service description, supplying input information
meeting the specification contained in said particular service
description to said particular resource, and receives and routs output
information provided by said particular resource in response to said
output information request to the executing application program.