If you are on your way to deploying a service oriented architecture (SOA), then this article over at CIO magazine is a must read. The article explains how it can take decades before an organization can fully reap the benefits of SOA. Though the reality can feel like a punch in the gut, but take heart that the it’s not about getting to the end. Improvements are gained all along the way.
On the flip side, if I think about how long it’s going to take to get to Stage 4, the final phase and holy grail of SOA, companies might get there despite their efforts. Web 2.0 could be considered the global SOA. With more and more enterprise applications moving towards hosted solutions, that have published API’s, over time the IT shop could achieve the same thing through strategic purchasing.
Still, there is significant value in moving from one stage to another. At each step there is movement across the organization and much better alignment with technology and business. Even if you achieve an SOA through osmosis of the technology evolution, the benefits achieved in all the smaller miracles that get accomplished along the way are worth the effort.
