Service-oriented architecture- Features, functions, and importance to business
SOA refers to a type of software design where application components are used in order to provide services. The services are offered via communication protocol using a network. SOA does not depend on third parties such as vendors. In SOA, distributed systems are built and it is merely a concept. It is not limited to any platform or programming language. Information exchange can occur between services (Krafzig, Banke & Slama, 2005). One service operates independently of another service. It depends on message-based communication.
Image 1: Different subparts or elements of SOA
(Source: www.w3schools.in, 2020)
Image 2: Terminologies used in SOA
(Source: www.javatpoint.com, 2020)
Image 3: Aspects of SOA
(Source: http://irontk.com/, 2020)
The important thing about SOA in business
SOA allows the integration of business goals with IT infrastructure and the IT capabilities can be linked with the organizational objectives so that it can provide an agile infrastructure that responds to change promptly. Moreover, it ensures flexibility by offering infrastructure automation as well as essential tools. Companies can reduce the integration costs and fasten the coordination among various aspects of the business. Hence, SOA is one of the perfect architecture that adapts to the needs of the business. SOA has a unique ability to transform technologies so that it can convert into business enablers. It is one of the most important aspects of businesses because the technologies help to achieve success within the fiercely competitive market. The SOA architecture offers other possibilities as well. The business areas grow closer and it leads to easier application development (Rabhi et al., 2007). The application runs on a common infrastructure and there are opportunities to develop new features. The instances of data loss reduce and companies are able to handle applications cost-effectively. Overall, the flexibility and agility of organizations improve.
The best image to represent SOA to non-technical managers
It would be feasible to consider Image 3 so that a non-technical manager can understand various aspects of SOA. The non-technical managers are less likely to grasp technical ideas and terminologies of SOA. Therefore, they can understand the basics of SOA such as people, process, platform, and practice. They can be taught that SOA empowers people and make them good decision-makers. The platform can increase operational efficiency. Similarly, SOA employs the best practice methodologies and the SOA process focuses on alignment between business operations and IT operations (Bieberstein et al., 2006). This explanation of SOA is certainly easy to understand. Hence, it would be possible for the non-technical manager to understand that SOA is “user-led” as well as “user-centered”. Right technologies are used every time so that better outcomes can be delivered. The four different aspects of SOA also indicate that the design has been built by putting the needs of users at the center. The overall culture, operations, and vision of SOA are built to aid the user. The managers will understand that a range of IT industries uses SOA in order to improve their business and reduce the implementation cost.
References
Bieberstein, N., Bose, S., Fiammante, M., Jones, K., & Shah, R. (2006). Service-oriented architecture compass: business value, planning, and enterprise roadmap. FT Press.
Krafzig, D., Banke, K., & Slama, D. (2005). Enterprise SOA: service-oriented architecture best practices. Prentice Hall Professional.
Rabhi, F. A., Yu, H., Dabous, F. T., & Wu, S. Y. (2007). A service-oriented architecture for financial business processes. Information Systems and E-Business Management, 5(2), 185-200.