Working with SOAP Message Handlers

WebLogic Server offers a way of intercepting incoming and outgoing SOAP messages with a SOAP message handler. SOAP message handlers can be run on either the Web Service client or in WebLogic Server with the actual Web Service. Message handlers can be used for many purposes, such as encryption and decryption. A Web Service client can run a handler that encrypts SOAP messages, and the server can run a handler that decrypts the message before it reaches the Web Service. In this way, SOAP messages are not sent in the clear over the Internet.

Message handlers can be grouped together to form chains. These message handlers can then work together to perform various modifications and inspections of the SOAP messages. Each handler has a handleRequest() method and a handleResponse() method, as shown in Figure 30.9. Every Web Service can have message handlers, and a Web Service can be created with only message handlers. For more information about SOAP message handlers, please visit http://e-docs.bea.com/wls/docs81/webserv/interceptors.html.