Microsoft also has tools for web services, which might be more in line with what you need if you're using ASPs. So the answer would seem to be 'no, axis isn't necessarily required'.
Theodore Jonathan Casser
SCJP/SCSNI/SCBCD/SCWCD/SCDJWS/SCMAD/SCEA/MCTS/MCPD... and so many more letters than you can shake a stick at!