WebServices dot org

The Rise of the JBOWS Architecture (or Just a Bunch of Web Services)

One of the paradoxes of service-oriented architectures is that those companies that really could benefit from SOA are the ones not likely to adopt it. At the same time, the organizations that do aggressively embrace SOA probably don't need it as badly.

What do I mean by this? As we found in the recent Webservices.Org survey, there were, out of 1,000 companies, only 50 that really were well advanced in their deployments, that could be considered true SOA sites. We parsed and dissected this "Fab 50" group to see what made them so special.

The truth is, a lot of things make such companies special. They are likely to have more enlightened management,and a corporate culture that encourages innovation, and trying out new things. They are more likley to have an SOA, but they are also more likely to be on the forefront of other innovations as well -- perhaps advanced business intelligence capabilities, customer relationship management programs, supply chain visibility projects, and, very importantly, an employee compensation structure that encourages innovative thinking. Today, that's where SOA efforts spring up.

Think of an orchestra, playing the most beautiful music your ears have heard in a long time. Which section of the orchestra is responsible for the beautiful tone of the music -- the violinists, horns, drums, or flutists? All play their part, and all work in synch, just as an SOA would work in synch with other corporate initiatives to deliver business growth and value. It's often too difficult to measure what role a component -- such as SOA -- is playing in this growth. And, it's very possible the business would thrive without the SOA initiative.

Now, there are many companies that have, well, issues with their management styles. The problem is, a management that says "no, no, no" to anything new or perceived as threatening to established fiefdoms is just as likely to say "no" to SOA. What they will continue to support is a JBOWS (Just a Bunch of Web Services) architecture that is not orchestrated, does not have a registry, has no process-based testing, does not reuse the services, and has no management tools. Inevitably, Web services will be deployed and managed on a piecemeal basis by enlightened individuals or departments that are attempting to do end-runs around their calcified management structures.

SOAs can ultimately open up such organizations, and create interaction and a spirit of cooperation between business units. A company weighted down in outmoded processes would certainly feel the lift a more agile software infrastructure would provide.

The way to lift JBOWS into a functioning SOA within hidebound organizations is to identify an individual that can evangelize the services, and is at least somewhat politically savvy. This ideally would take the form of an executive sponsor that can translate Web services/SOA discussions into business language, and demonstrate both the savings and new growth opportunities SOA can deliver.