soa in the combat zone

Demonstrating the Real Value of SOA

SOA in the Combat ZoneHow to Succeed with SOA the First Time, and Never Make a Mistake

David S. Linthicum

September , 2008

Building a Foundation for Continuous Change


Time to Make Something Work

• We’ve been working with the notion of SOA for over 5 years now.

• We’ve proven that SOA can work, if you approach it correctly.

• We need to start doing, but never stop learning.

• They hype is officially over.

• Time to make something work!


What went wrong?

“We could not get the culture to shift to accommodate the disruptive changes we needed for SOA.”

- Name withheld upon request

“We put our trust into a single large vendor and our technology solution was not the right fit.”

- “Do not use my name”

“We service-enabled everything…now what?”

- “I’m a complete idiot.”


What worked?

• “We changed our leadership to change the culture to make way for new approaches, such as SOA.”

• “We took the time to understand the business first, then the technology.”

• “We focused on the architecture.”• “We made some quick wins which provided creditability,

and built more complex and far reaching projects around that very positive foundation.”

• “We created a common team across the organizations which broke down any political barriers.”

• “We spent a hell of a lot of money.”


So, how do I win with SOA the first time?

1. Make sure there are advocates with budgets, at the executive level.

2. Begin with architecture, not with technology.

3. Get the talent and knowledge you need now.

4. Understand that SOA is ongoing (journey not a project).

5. Focus on understanding the business.

6. Define the ROI up front, and make sure it’s there upon delivery.

7. Follow a repeatable process (later in this presentation).

8. Build your SOA with the emerging Web in mind (WOA).

9. Define incremental successes, and make sure to get there.

10. Follow everything in this presentation.


Architecture is not About the Technology

•It’s about what you’re building, then how you build it.•It’s about understanding first, then building.


SOA Challenges

Source: Wipro


Data Abstraction

Data Data

Data Services

LegacyLegacy LegacyLegacy

Services

Process/Orchestration/Composites

Monitoring/Event Management

Govern

ance

Rep

Secu

rity

Internet-

Based

ServicesNew Services

SOA Meta Model


5 Things to Avoid

1. Using the wrong people.

2. Selecting the technology too early.

3. Not considering “service design.”

4. Not factoring in the business.

5. Not thinking long term, and strategic.


Using the Wrong People

• Perhaps this is something you should not outsource.

– This is architecture, not development.

– This is strategic, not tactical.

• Existing talent may not be up to speed.

– You may love your current team, but perhaps they are not up for the job.

– Make the cuts now, not later.

• Don’t let consultants or vendors drive the project.


Selecting the Technology too Early

• Don’t “manage by magazine.”• Don’t overuse “comfort

vendors.”• Avoid VDA (vendor driven

architecture)• Business -> Requirements ->

Analysis -> Technology. Now repeat!

• Make sure to do a POC, and other testing.

• Never be afraid to toss out technology.


Not Considering “Service Design”

• Services are not applications.

• Services are not APIs.• Services are services,

and should be designed properly.

– Consider granularity.– Consider repeatable

design.– Consider testing.


Not Factoring in the Business

• Always do ROI analysis before you begin work on your SOA.

• Understand core business processes, and what needs to improve.

• Understand core business drivers, and be able to sell them within the organization.

• Make sure business analysts have input at various stages.


Not Thinking Long Term, and Strategic

• SOA has a positive impact after years, not months.

• SOA is not a development project, it’s a journey.

• SOA requires a systemic change in how you do architecture, it’s not just an instance of an architecture.

• SOA requires long term corporate commitment to be successful.


Understand your business

objectives and

define success.

ROIROIDefine ROI

Create Business Case

Business

Case

Business

Case


Define your problem domain

System

Descriptions

System

Descriptions

System Complexity Analysis

SOA POC

POC

Results

POC

Results

Domain

Descriptions

Domain

Descriptions

Vendors


Understand all application

semantics in your domain.

SOA

Metadata

SOA

MetadataMeta data analysis

Data abstraction

layer definition

Data

Abstraction

Layer

Data

Abstraction

Layer

Data services definition

Data

Services

Data

Services

Legacy

Metadata

Legacy

Metadata

External

Metadata

(B2B)

External

Metadata

(B2B)


Understand all services

in your domain.

Candidate

Services

Candidate

ServicesService analysis

Metadata and

services analysis

Services

And

Information

Services

And

Information

Performance analysis

Services

And

Performance

Services

And

Performance

Legacy

Services

Legacy

Services

External

Services

(B2B)

External

Services

(B2B)

SOA

Metadata

SOA

Metadata


Understand all processes

in your domain.

Candidate

Processes

Candidate

ProcessesProcess analysis.

Define metadata, services,

and processes

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Process integration

analysis.

Process

Integration

Diagrams

Process

Integration

Diagrams

Candidate

Services

Candidate

Services

External

Processes

(B2B)

External

Processes

(B2B)

SOA

Metadata

SOA

Metadata


Define new services.

Candidate

Processes

Candidate

Processes

Service definition.

Service design.

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Service implementation.Process

Integration

Diagrams

Process

Integration

Diagrams

SOA

Metadata

SOA

Metadata

Candidate

Services

Candidate

Services

Service

Definition

Service

Definition

Service

Design

Service

Design

Service

Implementation

Service

Implementation


Define new processes.

Candidate

Processes

Candidate

Processes

Process definition.

Process design.

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Processes,

Services,

And

Information

Process implementation.Process

Integration

Diagrams

Process

Integration

Diagrams

MetadataMetadata

Candidate

Services

Candidate

Services

Process

Definition

Process

Definition

Process

Design

Process

Design

Process

Implementation

Process

Implementation


Select your technology set.

Technology

Requirements

Technology

Requirements

Define requirements.

Technology analysis.

Technology

solution

Technology

solution

Vendors

Define candidate technology.

Technology selection.

Technology validation.


“SOA is Good…”

• Pay me now, or pay me later. Make sure you do it right the first time…get the help you need.

• Don’t be afraid to experiment, and admit you’re wrong…backup and try again.

• Keep your vendors working with you.• Empower those working, so they can work to get things

done. Avoid politics, if possible.• Learn all you can, but don’t get caught up in the hype. • Put standards in their proper place. • Small battles win the war…Keep that in mind.• Give yourself plenty of time, never skimp on any of the

steps.


Thanks!

• Blogs:– InfoWorld “Real World SOA”

• Weekly Podcast– InfoWorld SOA Report

• Columns– SOA Journal– SD Times– Web 2.0 Journal– eBizq.net

• Follow me on Twitter (DavidLinthicum)