The SOAP Router is the entity that is responsible for moving SOAP messages between internal and external networks. The primary functions include:

• Abstracting the caller from knowing the physical address of the ultimate destination
• Transport protocol hopping (HTTP for leg 1, SMTP for leg 2, etc.)
• Synchronization hopping (Asynch for leg 1, Synch for leg 2, etc.)
• Intelligent routing (latency based, load based, domain based, content based, etc.)
• Acknowledgement across multiple hops

The router attempts to make a complex route (multi-hops, multi-protocols) look like a simple route from the view of the initiator. Use of a SOAP Router is a service design issue. It is a decoupling device, but may add latency to the call.

Features for SOAP routing are described in WS-Routing, WS-Referral and in ebMS.