Before starting a SOA

Before starting a SOA Service Oriented Architecture

Before a developer writes a single line of code, it is critical to identify both specific business drivers of the service oriented architecture SOA endeavor and the dependencies between the business and the underlying technologies. Neglecting the business context can result in a project in which service oriented architecture SOA infrastructure is pursued for its own sake, or where investments are made that do not line up well with the needs and priorities of the business.

Two approaches are commonly pursued for implementing service oriented architecture SOA: top-down and bottom-up. Both approaches have possible pitfalls that can prevent success. Many organizations that have attempted to roll out service oriented architecture SOA infrastructure through a top-down approach have discovered that when the infrastructure is finally delivered it is out of sync with the needs of the business. Likewise, a bottom-up approach can fail as well, because it can lead to a chaotic implementation of services created without regard to organizational goals.

The “middle-out” approach is a successful hybrid of the two other approaches. Business drivers and strategic vision are first employed to set clear direction and priorities. Based on these, the organization takes multiple iterative steps to build out slices of end-to-end capabilities, with each iteration delivering a new, dynamic application back to the business that is used to create business return. Microsoft has long advocated this “real-world” approach to leveraging service-oriented architectures: The approach is focused on rapid time-to-value, and it delivers business results through iterative, incremental steps that facilitate close alignment of IT resources with changing business conditions.