Communication and Services
Communication encompasses all technologies that enable the transmission of data from one point to another. In some cases, a point can be a single stand-alone application. In others, communication can occur between two or more computers (otherwise known as networking), which allows wholesale transmission or aggregation of data from a variety of sources. Data can be formatted as disparate messages or (as in video and telephony) streams.
Connected Applications and Web Services
Connected applications are built on infrastructure that enables data to flow from one application component and location to the next. In a world connected by intranets and the Internet, applications can exchange, supply, and process messages and data streams. They might leverage continuous connectivity or operate in sparsely connected environments where connectivity is available through wireless hotspots or mobile data networks. Connected applications commonly require a strong and flexible security foundation, solid reliability, and integration with other platform services, such as transactions.
Web services are a core building block of connected applications and communicate using XML-based messages to transfer data. Based on public, industry-standard XML specifications, a Web service can understand and reply to any request from a legitimate communicating party that adheres to the same set of specifications. By using Web services, you can exchange data on demand with a great variety of platforms, applications, and devices. For more information about connected applications and Web services, see Connected Applications and Web Services.
Networking
Networked computers enable the easy sharing of data and resources. In the past, networks were hard-wired from one computer to another. Today, wireless networks enable far greater flexibility and enable computers to easily roam between networks. The tasks here are centered around the enabling of communication between computers on a network and building flexible connected applications infrastructures on top of the fundamental, system-level Windows networking API families. For more information, see Networking.