Pattern-Oriented development is paramount in IT. Patterns are used for designing software [POSA], integrating applications [EIP] or building enterprise systems [PEAA]. They make us feel comfortable that are our solution in the end will be extensible, reusable and hopefully along the way we managed avoiding some age-old pitfalls.
Is an integration project merely a matter of connectivity – making n-number of applications transfer data? By this logic the project’s success is binary: it connected the systems or it did not. Anyone involved in systems integration at any level understands that what it means to be “connected”, itself, quickly becomes an abstract term with multiple meanings. Enter in SOA and most have no clue what the goal is.
Shawn P. Simon is speaking out. And Simon says “SOA”! Having developed, designed, debated and delivered dozens of integration landscapes, ShawnP believes in SOA. Whether you define it as standardizing the standards, re-marketing the old buzz (MOM/EAI/BPM), or a transformational technology approach to business agility – ShawnP sees the SOA “light”. This blog is about demystifying the confusion, making the proposition plain, and maybe even discovering new angles to look at SOA (as in its role in Enterprise Architecture). IT integration is everywhere and necessary – SOA and whatever new name we give it next – is here to stay!
