Getting the most out of SOA

The benefits of adopting a service-oriented architecture are well-known: reduced integration costs, greater asset reuse and the ability for IT to respond more quickly to changing requirements. But getting the most out of an SOA implementation requires diligence and thought. First, target systems that people are used to having applications built around. Don't take interoperability for granted, and before committing to a technology platform, identify all information sources and make sure to document how each system defines data. Expect some trial and error, budget realistically, and consider providing incentives to stakeholders for giving it a try. Make sure to have clearly documented policies and procedures for every aspect of the SOA development cycle. And realize that SOA will add to the network load--proper network design also calls for modeling performance.

Learn more about best practices for building an SOA infrastructure:
- read the article at BPM Today

ALSO:
- read this on whether SOA will help or hinder the alignment of business and IT
- this on whether SOA will work in your environment
- this on the basics of SOA
- this on the four stages of successful SOA
- and this on taking it slow with SOA deployments