SOAP makes all things possible, but it doesn't do
much itself. It's a lot like XML that way.
What it does define:
- message construction (envelope, header, body)
- message exchange patterns (MEP) and
how to define more
- processing model for messaging: originator,
intermediaries, destination
- extensibility mechanism and mustUnderstand
attribute
- fault system
- bindings to transport protocols (HTTP, SMTP, ...)
