A service module is a Service Component Architecture (SCA) module that provides services in the run time. When you deploy a service module toWebSphere® ESB, you build an associated service application that is packaged as an Enterprise ARchive (EAR) file.
Service modules are the basic units of deployment and can contain components, libraries, and staging modules used by the associated service application. Service modules have exports and, optionally, imports to define the relationships between modules and service requesters and providers. WebSphere ESB supports a type of service module called mediation modules. Mediation modules allow you to change the format, content, or target of service requests.
The process of deploying an EAR file containing a service application is the same as the process of deploying any EAR file. You can modify values for mediation parameters at deployment time. After you have deployed an EAR file containing an SCA module, you can view details about the service application and its associated module. You can see how a service module is connected to service requesters (through exports) and service providers (through imports).