Final answer:
A web service is an example of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). SOA facilitates interoperable service interactions for web-based applications, using open standards over an internet protocol backbone. Web services, which use XML and SOAP, are distinct from RMI, CORBA, and Web servers, and more closely align with SOA principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Web service is an example of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) architecture. SOA is a software design that allows services to communicate across different platforms and languages by providing a standardized way of integrating web-based applications using open standards over an internet protocol backbone. Web services use XML to code and to decode data, and SOAP to transport it (using open protocols).
Components like Remote Method Invocation (RMI), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), and Web servers are all related to distributed computing but specifically serve different purposes. RMI and CORBA enable objects to interact across different programs or servers, while a Web server delivers content using HTTP to web clients. However, these do not conform as closely to the principles of SOA as web services do.