Installing and configuring network-connected devices is not always a simple task. However, by extending the benefits of Web services to a rich and diverse set of devices, Microsoft and industry leaders are reducing the complexity of device-based integration. The Web services architecture offers a standardized mechanism for devices to send and receive information over a network without needing to know what operating system or application software is on the other side.

While many PCs and servers in corporate and home networks already communicate with each other using Web services, Microsoft today introduced new tools and content to bring Web services to the full range of devices, including network-based printers, digital picture frames, and more. The Devices Profile for Web services and a Network Connected Device Driver Development Kit (DDK) were introduced this week at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Seattle.

The Devices Profile for Web Services, co-authored by Intel, Lexmark and Ricoh, describes a core subset of pre-existing Web services specifications that devices can implement. While these devices are growing rapidly in computational power, they are still resource-constrained by desktop and server standards. To enable a base level of interoperability between devices and Web services, the Devices Profile outlines best-of-breed Web service specifications in core areas and prescribes how to use them in concert to enable simple network installation and communication among devices.