Service Oriented Architecture

Service Oriented Architecture is an overarching approach to organizing Information Technology functionality into well-defined services and providing them in a re-usable way.

	Key Issues with SOA SOA is not about technology; rather, various technologies enable a SOA approach to business. There are multiple technological approaches to SOA, and many vendor products. Vendor lock-in and support for standards are central issues. There is no single technological or vendor “silver bullet.” SOA requires a pervasive transformation of business thought toward defining and managing services (as opposed to IT assets), and aligning them with strategy and objectives. The mix of projects driving new services and capabilities into the enterprise must be directed by carefully analyzed ROI and business-impact analysis that crosses multiple strategies, goals, and objectives. This is a significant shift from traditional asset-, project-, or solution-centric planning and forethought. Governance of projects deploying new services or changing existing services is becomes a pivotal issue. A single service may impact multiple goals, strategies, and objectives – hence an effective enterprise sequencing plan and effective oversight of its execution are crucial to successfully realizing benefits from SOA. SDLC functions must adapt to the new architecture and approach. Testing, quality and service assurance become decentralized, and focus on service availability and service assurance, rather than monolithic delivery of single applications.

SOA as an approach is difficult to infuse into the enterprise, due to its pervasive impact:

• SOA as a business approach to IT defines a new way to think about and use IT capabilities.

• SOA as a goal provides a new capability to maximize IT ROI through alignment of business and IT, through business impact analysis across multiple strategic initiatives and re-use of IT services, rather than assets.

• SOA as a strategy defines a new process for creating and governing IT functionality supporting multiple business goals and objectives, and provides an effective vehicle for continuously reducing costs through application portfolio management rationalization and consolidation.

• SOA as a technology platform provides a suite of vendor-independent, heterogeneous standards and technologies that can significantly reduce integration complexity and cost over point-to-point or hub-spoke approaches.

• SOA tools and technologies are provided by vendors, enabling creation and use of services and service registries.

SIBRIDGE is uniquely capable and qualified to help midsize to large enterprises define and implement their own approach to SOA.

Here are some ways SIBRIDGE helps:

• SOA opportunity assessments. SIBRIDGE business analysts and architects assess current and future state of business applications, systems architecture, and business goals and objectives, and identify opportunities where SOA investments can provide significant ROI.

• Business and IT alignment. SIBRIDGE management consultants guide investments toward measurable business ROI and execution.

• Definition and implementation of SOA architecture components. SIBRIDGE architects organize the myriad standards and technology platforms – SOAP, XML/HTTP, etc., - and avoid the pitfalls of vendor-centric solutions or narrow approaches.
  
  

• Process, Governance, and SDLC transformation. SIBRIDGE analysts address address the overarching architecture, process, and governance issues – and play a hands-on role in implementing transformed processes through active participation and leadership.

Contact SIBRIDGE today to see how we can help address your evolving SOA needs.