Hidden SOA Challenges

The service-oriented architecture (SOA) is not new, but it is rapidly emerging as the premier integration and architecture framework in today’s complex, heterogeneous computing environments. While the concept of SOA has existed for years, there were few standards that enabled open, interoperable, non-proprietary integration solutions.

Today, many software vendors are moving at a frenetic pace to support SOA. Web services and SOA are not equivalent; however, SOA realized using Web services is generating new found excitement in the integration world. Additionally, organizations must understand that SOA is not realized by merely flipping a switch or porting your existing services to some vendors software platform. For long-term success, companies must put SOA in their IT “DNA” and develop an overall SOA strategy that aligns their IT and business goals.

Since SOA is based on open standards and is frequently realized using Web services making sense of the WS-Specifications, which may add to the confusion of how to best utilize SOA to solve business problems. Additionally, many companies face the challenge of how to best utilize SOA to solve their business problems.

Organizations should be aware of several important SOA realities to dispel any myths or misunderstandings regarding the best approach to a smooth transition to SOA, including:

• SOA is an architectural approach that has been around for years (eg: JINI, DCOM). While there are new ways to realize SOA, including the use of Web services technologies, leveraging the experience of a services organization well-versed in SOA is essential to understanding technologies and techniques necessary to gaining the business benefits of SOA.
• SOA is more than just developing and deploying software. Organizations must evaluate their funding and governance models, analysis and design techniques, development methodology, deployment and support plans.
• Web Services (XML/SOAP) are the preferred way to realize SOA.
• Moving to an SOA enabled infrastructure should be done incrementally, but requires a shift in how we architect and compose services-based applications while maximizing existing technology investments and this requires a shift in how we compose service-based applications while maximizing existing IT investments.
• Software Vendors have recognized the challenges customers face in moving to SOA and have developed several SOA service offering that leverages years of experience in delivering enabling technology solutions that met the unique needs of each customer.
  

Recommended Approach

Any organization’s strategy for moving to SOA should involve the following fourmajor activities:

Education — Gain an understanding of key SOA architectural principles, concepts, best practices, and technologies

Assessment — Determine the current state of your organization’s readiness for moving to SOA by identifying existing best practices and gaps, as well as major opportunities for realization of benefits from SOA

Planning — Develop a phased SOA migration plan that makes sense for the organization, mitigating business and architectural risks while measuring and delivering significant return on investment (ROI) through increased flexibility and responsiveness to changing market demands, as well as decreased design, development, integration and support costs.

Execution — Deliver prototypes, pilots, infrastructure, and services consistent with the phased SOA migration plan, seeding and embedding SOA perspective and best practices throughout the business and technology groups within the organization as well as among key customers, partners and suppliers