WSE 2.0

The Web Services Enhancements for Microsoft .NET (WSE) enables you to develop secure, interoperable Web services that are based on open industry specifications for .NET Framework applications. WSE enables this type of development by implementing the WS-* specifications to provide end-to-end message level security.

WSE 2.0's new messaging API enables Web Services to take a much needed first step towards message transport independence by enabling the sending of SOAP messages via TCP with no dependence on IIS or HTTP.

In the standard .ASMX pipeline, SOAP messages are tightly tied to the HTTP transport. WSE 2.0 includes a new Messaging API that delivers on SOAP's original intent by separating the message from the transport protocol. WSE 2.0 includes support for sending SOAP messages via TCP or HTTP with the ability to extend the infrastructure to include other transport mechanisms. These features combined with the implementation of the WS-Addressing Specification allows for true peer-to-peer communication using SOAP messages.While the examples listed on the article show how to create and use these new features at a fairly low level including dispatching of the incoming messages,
it also introduces the SOAPClient and SOAPService classes from which you can easily create components that communicate across process or machine boundaries.

Interoperable with Windows Communication Foundation
WSE-enabled clients will interoperate with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF). Additionally, WCF clients will interoperate with WSE 3.0-enabled Web services. WSE 3.0 is wire-level-compatible with WCF using the HTTP protocol and the corresponding turnkey security scenarios. Interoperability is not guaranteed with other protocols such as TCP.

Simplification of Web services security
WSE simplifies the security model in previous versions of WSE by introducing a set of turnkey security assertions. Instead of applying security to SOAP messages on a per SOAP message basis, these turnkey security assertions are designed to be applied apply to SOAP message exchanges that are based upon the distributed application's scenario.