Don't lose sight of the "A" in SOA

Roger Smith at InformationWeek wrote a really insightful article on "The State of SOA" that reiterated that SOA isn't dead.

Still, I think we can all agree that SOA isn't exactly rocking and rolling like it was a few years ago. There are lots of reasons for that such as inconsistent definitions, unrealistic expectations and the sheer fact that SOA is a journey, not a software installation.

The article is chock full of interesting data points based on in-depth surveys that InformationWeek Analytics conducted with business technology professionals.

Along with uncovering that SOA still does have a pulse, the research points to the fact that one of the major reasons for the halting of an SOA evaluation or project is largely due to SOA having earned the reputation of overpromising and under-delivering.

Instead of pointing fingers to how and why SOA earned that reputation, let's step back and figure out what we can learn.

What InformationWeek implies - and I tend to agree - is that for a long stretch of time the focus was on the selection and evaluation of point products with less emphasis on the "A" of SOA.

Certainly you can't execute a SOA strategy without the supporting technology. And the SOA movement gave rise to some powerful offerings that are critical to the SOA's evolution. However, without a solid foundation and understanding of what the architecture can do for the business, we're merely installing products that address specific infrastructure problems yet lose sight of the bigger picture.

While the article makes it clear that SOA projects aren't going away, perhaps the recent shakeups will prompt more dialog among business and IT leaders so that both sides are clear on what an SOA - or any sweeping IT initiative - can and can't do for the business in the long and short term.

Jeff