Towards context-aware adaptable web services

In this paper, we present a context framework that facilitates the development and deployment of context-aware adaptable Web services. Web services are provided with context information about clients that may be utilized to provide a personalized behavior. Context is extensible with new types of information at any time without any changes to the underlying infrastructure. Context processing is done by Web services, context plugins, or context services. Context plugins and context services pre- and post-process Web service messages based on the available context information. Both are essential for automatic context processing and automatic adaption of Web services to new context types without the necessity to adjust the Web services themselves. We implemented the context framework within the ServiceGlobe system, our open and distributed Web service platform.