Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is not something that has come out of nowhere. It is a stable, evolved IT system that efficiently recycles software implementations for better business values. SOA works beyond packaged software to work for dynamic and versatile businesses. It is all about growth.
SOA is not simply an approach to distributed computing. It enhances the approach towards dynamic businesses, ahead of packaged software. It provides an amalgamation of services that can communicate with each other, whether it involves transfer of data or using a combination of services for a desired outcome.
Unlike a distorted picture that provides no insight, SOA provides an architecture or programming such that it allows you to call forth the entire image. It makes way for different processes of the business cycle to be available at one point in time. Therefore, SOA works across integrated platforms to pave a multiple-access path for all processes.
These are just some advantages SOA offers over traditional approaches. Similar functions were earlier carried out by COBRA and DCOM but it wasn’t so easy to work with them across the various business processes.
SOA, on the other hand, provides business services across platforms, supports authentication and authorisation at every level and does not require services to be at a particular system or particular network.
Service orientation (SO) provides ease of use for business managers, saving them from facing the music of multiple processes. Along with that, SOA provides services across the network that can be easily discovered and put to use. A big advantage of SOA is that it provides an edge to web services, which allows applications to interconnect in an object-model-neutral way. Together, they provide a novel system of applications using a more efficient and adaptable programming model.
According to one definition of SOA, it provides a system that is service-oriented, event-driven, loosely coupled, aligned with life cycle support processes, able to support assembly and integration and able to leverage existing applications and infrastructure.
On an average, an organisation utilises 15-25% of its server. If we want to evolve our technology and use it optimally, there is a serious need to effectively assimilate disintegrated but functional silos. A number of processes simply duplicate functions, combining processes as and when required. The result is often slow output and a slate of recurring costs.
Integrating silos to make them work together, SOA helps save time as well as resources for an organisation. Employing reusable web services and ridding organisations of redundancy, SOA helps timely delivery of information. That is the end of all requirements anyway.
There are, however, some cons associated with SOA. These include inability to efficiently manage services, not enough security measures, orchestration and transformation. Because SOA’s are meant to ease transfer of information across systems, security is an issue. SOA also requires additional middleware functions that help in delivering business solutions. The good news is that web services along with SOA make a dependable solution.
SOA is quickly picking up as a preferred addition to the IT processes of businesses. It will only help utilise investments in a more appropriate and efficient manner. Although an earlier concept than web services, with the latter being available, it becomes easier to set up and utilise SOA services.
Pantulu Avasarala, Cincom Systems
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