Using SOA Consulting and Development to Improve Your Business Value

The main function of SOA is to move company ITs• High maintenance costs.
from an outdated system architecture, based on• User dissatisfaction with the current system.
autonomous applications tightly coupled together by• Possibility for step-by-step systems upgrading.
custom integration processes, to a modern type ofThese are only some arguments that can be used by
architecture, developed on independent services,IT managers for presenting SOA advantages to
which are loosely coupled, using standards-basedmanagement. Moreover, SOA consulting and
messaging. SOA improves IT infrastructure bydevelopment companies, whose analysts and
making it less expensive but much more efficient,architects are able to explain the advantages of SOA
flexible and easier to expand and reuse. In SOAto an organization could also be very helpful. They
environments, companies can overcome the maincan also assist your company in the development of
gap in legacy systems between their businessSOA principles and best practices that guide planning,
requirements and the capabilities of their IT systems.development, integration, and management of
However, SOA development is still considered an ITapplication infrastructures. In addition, they can be
issue. One of the reasons is that IT managers areuseful when preparing a business case that
not successfully explaining SOA's business benefits todemonstrates the value of SOA to upper
upper management. Also, upper management is notmanagement.
really interested in processes for better IT utilizationIt is crucial that SOA consultants and businesses
or in recognizing SOA's potential.work together in conducting an analysis. The most
To get support from upper management for theimportant factors for SOA strategy are the business
successful development of SOA, it is important toanalyst and the SOA architect; the former is
build a roadmap that illustrates an understanding ofresponsible for representing the business
not only the technologies but also the business value,requirements, while the latter is responsible for
impact, technology capabilities, interactions betweenensuring compliance with the IT strategy.
systems, robustness, lower development costs, andAn analysis provided by a business analyst and an
security factors. A number of business related issuesSOA architect can be used to justify investment in
are important for SOA strategy and technologies:SOA. A clear and comprehensive analysis prepared
• Agility in changing systems to follow new andthrough an open and constructive dialog, is the
changing business processes.perfect way to demonstrate the value of SOA and
• Solving problems of badly integrated systems,IT synergy to upper management.
which requires a lot of development, time, andIn this way, IT and SOA become a fundamental part
money to integrate.of the business strategy and can provide significant
• Problems of data and business logic spreading,improvements for your company.
which can cause unexpected difficulties