An apparatus for and method of processing service requests presented as XML messages
an-d having a number of formats within a single generic gateway. The service requests
are received by the server and routed to the appropriate one of a number of adapters.
Each of the adapters convert service requests to a standardized format for input
to the single generic gateway. The output of the single generic gateway is coupled
through a corresponding one of a number of connectors to the end service provider
for honoring. The response is transferred from the service provider to the appropriate
connector to be formatted for the common generic gateway. The response is converted
by the original adapter to an XML message for transfer back to the requester via
the Internet.