<a name="#intro"></a><H1>Introduction to UDDI Services</H1>
<p>
In order to get the most out of this introduction to the basic concepts in UDDI Services, it is strongly recommended that you first become familiar with Web services, Web service interfaces, and the services you are describing. For more information, see Additional Resources on the UDDI Services page on the <a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=5202&clcid=0x409" target="_blank"> Microsoft Web site</a>.
</p>
<p>
<b>Jump to:</b> <a href="#UDDI">What is UDDI?</a>, <a href="#UDDISERVICES">Understanding UDDI Services Entities and Organization</a>, <a href="#ROLES">UDDI Services Roles</a>.
</p>
</a>
<a name="UDDI"></a>
<h2>What is UDDI?</h2>
<p>
Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) is an industry
specification for publishing and locating information about Web services. It
defines an information framework that enables you to describe and classify your
organization, its services, and the technical details about the
interfaces of the Web services you expose. The framework also enables you to consistently
discover services, or interfaces of a particular type,
classification, or function. UDDI also defines a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that can be used
by applications and services to interact with UDDI data directly. For example,
you can develop services that publish and update their UDDI data automatically,
react dynamically to service availability, or automatically discover interface
details for other services with which they interact.</p>
<p>
The UDDI.org consortium of companies established the UDDI Business Registry (UBR) where companies and organizations can share and discover Web services. This public registry is maintained and replicated by its managing body, the UBR Operator Council, and should not be confused with UDDI Services, which is deployed and maintained by your enterprise or organization.
</p>
<a name="#UDDISERVICES"></a>
<h2>Understanding UDDI Services Entities and Organization</h2>
<p>
UDDI Services provides UDDI capabilities for
use within an enterprise or between business partners. It includes a Web
interface with searching, publishing, and coordination features that are
compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or later and Netscape Navigator 4.5, or later.
UDDI Services supports the UDDI version 1.0 and 2.0 APIs, enabling enterprise
developers to publish, discover, share, and interact with Web services directly through
their development tools and business applications.
</p>
<p>
Organizations and the products and services they provide are represented by the following entities in UDDI Services.
Your user name and role are displayed in the upper-right corner of the UDDI
Services Web interface.
</p>
<a name="#WHATNEXT"></a>
<h2>WhatÆs Next</h2>
<p>Now that you have reviewed entities, roles, and relationships in UDDI Services, you are ready to begin querying, publishing, or coordinating Web service information. For an
overview on locating or publishing data, see <a href="search.gettingstarted.aspx">
Introduction to Searching </a> or <a href="publish.publishinuddiservices.aspx">Introduction to Publishing</a>.</p>
