Patent ID: 8516123

Claim:
A method for processing web service messages, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: an intermediary server receiving a message from a client, wherein said intermediary server handles communications between said client and a web service application; the intermediary server identifying one or more corresponding schema definitions that a structure of a portion of the message is supposed to comply with; the intermediary server determining whether the structure of the portion of the message complies with the one or more corresponding schema definitions to which the portion of the message is supposed to comply, wherein determining is performed by examining the one or more corresponding schema definitions; if the structure is determined to comply with the one or more corresponding schema definitions, then the intermediary server passing the message to the web service application; and wherein each of said one or more corresponding schema definitions defines at least one XML element; if the structure is determined not to comply with the one or more corresponding schema definitions: rejecting the message without communicating with said web service application; and transmitting a second message to the client which indicates that a portion of the message does not comply with the one or more corresponding schema definitions to which the portion of the message is supposed to comply.