Putting even more SaaS into SOA, and vice versa

Do we need more proof that SOA and Software as a Service (or cloud) are drawing closer into each others' orbits?

SaaS providers are finding that building their offerings using service-oriented architecture methodologies offers the least path of resistance to connecting with customers. Enterprises are finding that a viable option to building and maintaining their own service libraries is to tap into services from the cloud. Mashups are the new composite applications. And, ultimately, SOA is forming the foundation of internal clouds being established to better serve end-users within enterprise domains.

Now, a report out of Infor's user group meeting in Las Vegas offers the latest twist on this convergence: Announcing a Web 2.0-style user interface that links up separate business information and databases using Infor "Open SOA" technology. Through the interface, end-users can access a range of information across their company and partners through the system.

"All of our new SOA products are designed to work as SaaS," Infor CTO Bruce Gordon is quoted as saying.