Web services 
Web-based technologies that enable businesses to communicate and conduct business with their customers, partners, and suppliers. Web services provide the underlying infrastructure-the software, standards, and server hosting capabilities--that enable companies with disparate computing systems to exchange data and do business together. Because these services run on Web servers instead of on individual PCs, people can access them through any device that has Internet access, including mobile phones and handheld computing gadgets, as well as desktop and notebook computers.