Hi Alix, Good points you've made! I was actually having a problem finding an user interested in using SOA in EA projects too. So, I started out using ESB to connect systems togethers which I've found many users were interested in because I've modified the ESB so it can do it more efficiently. Since then, I've up streamed to supporting higher levels of "services" on the ESB. At this point, I'm connecting EJB container to ESB to better enable it for EA projects.
The platform can offer smoother transition from the "as is" to the "to be" models by offering better alignment with business and IT. The platform enables users to have "shorter" cycles (or steps) instead of a more discrete steps to the "to be" model. I feel gradual changes disrupt users work less by making them feel more comfortable with the new processes and IT changes. The ESB is just connecting together the current systems, other commercial (including other ESB products), and open source software. I'm, also, placing a SOA system as a "to be" model instead of a discrete switch from the current system. Cheers, H.Ozawa Alix Cheema wrote: > All, > > > > I've been a registered subscriber to this group for some time now, > admittedly a 'passive' member until now. However, based in past and recent > SOA treads, I'm no clearer on what our objectives are and how we are > supporting them. > > > > The questions, of 'duh, lets define SOA, what is a service, or how WS > compare to REST, are wearing thin and I can't see much 'directed' value in > how these topics are helping the group understand, develop and apply SOA. > > > > So instead of sitting on my arse and say nothing, I've decided to make a > contribution that will hopefully be of some value to the group as a whole;- > well, as a minimum it may help clarify or even extend my thinking. > > > > I'm currently leading an Enterprise Architecture initiative (based on the > good bits of Zachman and TOGAF) that is using 'Service Orientation' (SO) as > a central theme. I've intentionally NOT referred to SOA in the > organisation, because it comes with a lot of baggage, confusion (its all > about WS, REST etc) and general hatred from the business. > > > > Our EA programme, focuses on SO across four different perspectives; > Business, Information, Technology and Infrastructure. Each perspective > embodies it's own set of services, hierarchy and value classifications, > among other things. Most importantly SO helps us achieve traceability > across the EA e.g. how does one type of service (for example, training > (business service)) relate to another service (for example, registration > (technical service)) and so forth. > > > > Traceability has helped us measure and identify key service attribute, e.g. > dependency (coupling), value, goals, drivers and consumers (including a > whole bunch of other stuff e.g. SLA). > > > > We are using a 'Service Orientated' EA approach, to help the following > roles execute various tasks:- > > > > - Strategic Planning, can identify the impact of new business > requirements e.g. change in law, new compliance reqs. > > - Business Unit Leaders, can identify services that they can share > and include in their business cases and eventually deliver within their > projects > > - Enterprise Architects can maintain and improve a holistic picture > of architecture across the business, helping the CIO to identify quick win's > and longer term initiatives > > - CIO can maintain a 'service' centric view of the enterprise > whereby he/she can better allocate funds > > - PMO can start to shape and deliver service enabled projects > > - Procurement, can push back on suppliers (and work with them) to > begin delivering more streamlined SO enabled products. > > - etc > > > > Amongst many business of our initiatives e.g. outsourcing, technology > refresh, shared services, A Service Orientated Enterprise approach has > helped us differentiate between core business services (we build, that > remain with their respective Business Units), ones to outsource (some one > else builds and runs) or share (centrally funded capability across Business > Units). > > > > I have not sold SOA into the business, although we discuss it on a regularly > basis with IT. To the business I sell what a Service Orientated EA approach > has to offer (as stated above). Finally, SO is not simply a single model or > approach, it is made up of numerous SO artefacts and methodologies. E.g. > Service Life-cycle, Service Realisation Methodology etc. > > > > So, what I'd like to open up with this group is: > > > > - How have you sold SOA, > > - Who are the stakeholders and how do they use SOA (or its output) > > - What did you have to develop to design/model SOA > > > > Hopefully this will stimulate an interesting discussion that may help us all > position and better promote SOA within our respective organisations. > > > > BTW, we have and have had many IT projects that have said we are doing SOA. > Although technically valid, the NET value of SOA is not being appropriately > directed. SOA combined with an Enterprise wide approach has been our key to > a brighter and more agile enterprise. > > > > Regards, Alix > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jan > Algermissen > Sent: 29 January 2007 09:22 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [service-orientated-architecture] Definition of SOA - an > offering > > > > > On 25.01.2007, at 17:29, Mark Baker wrote: > > >> On 1/24/07, Alex Hoffman <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > <mailto:alex.hoffman%40gmail.com> > wrote: > >>> An SOA is simply a software architecture based on services. >>> What's a service? A software program that is intended to be used >>> by another program. >>> >> Definitions need to be sufficiently precise in order to enable one to >> distinguish what is from what isn't. >> > > Here is a question that could provide a start towards an > architecturally meaningful definition of SOA: > > 1. In what way does SOA constrain components of a networked system? > (When I design a component, what am I allowed to do and what not) > > 2. In what way does SOA constrain data elements of a networked system? > (When I design a data element, what am I allowed to do and what > not) > > (Of course the answers to this must be testable to be meaningful). > > <throwing-the-gauntlet-mode> > My take is that SOA does not have to say anything about 1 or 2 > that is testable. > </throwing-the-gauntlet-mode> > > Cheers, > Jan > > >> Mark. >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:fullfeatured%40yahoogroups.com> >> >> > > > > >
