Defining the Basic Elements of .NET Microsoft® .NET is a set of Microsoft software technologies for connecting information, people, systems, and devices. It enables a high level of software integration through the use of Web services—small, discrete, building-block applications that connect to each other as well as to other, larger applications over the Internet. The Components of Microsoft .NET-Connected Software .NET is infused into the products that make up the Microsoft platform, providing the ability to quickly and reliably build, host, deploy, and utilize connected solutions using Web services, all with the protection of industry-standard security technologies.

	"Smart" client application software and operating systems enable PCs and other smart computing devices to act on Web services, allowing anywhere, anytime access to information.
	Microsoft and others are developing a core set Web services—from authentication to calendaring—that can be combined with other Web services or used directly with smart client applications. The Microsoft MapPoint® Web Service allows you to integrate high-quality maps, driving directions, and other location intelligence into your applications, business processes, and Web sites is an example of one of these services.
	Microsoft provides the best server infrastructure—the Microsoft Windows Server System™—for deploying, managing, and orchestrating Web services.
	Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework are a complete solution for developers to build, deploy, and run Web services.