In a new article, Dave Linthicum says the most common question he gets nowadays is: “How will our organization move from SOA to cloud computing?”
“That’s just not logical,” he says.
Why not? Because SOA is an architectural pattern and strategy, while cloud computing is a type of solution:
“Putting this more simply, SOA is all about the process of defining an IT solution or architecture, while cloud computing is an architectural alternative. Thus, SOA can’t be replaced by cloud computing. In fact, most cloud computing solutions are going to be defined through SOA. They don’t compete — they are complementary notions.”
SOA will make many cloud computing arrangements not only technically feasible, but also make it palatable from a business perspective. “The ability to create a successful cloud computing solution means having an information-, service-, and process-level understanding of the problem domain,” Dave explains. “Then, break the architecture down into services that are decomposed and normalized, and then define core business processes that leverage those services.” Sounds like a job for SOA.
The cloud approach, then, is actually the technology solution that gets applied against the architecture or strategy. Remember, SOA has nothing to do with the technology applied against it. But cloud computing does represent a potent technology solution that is now available to enterprises.
So the question that should be asked is not “How will our organization move from SOA to cloud computing?” but “How can our organization develop a service-oriented approach to a business problem, and is cloud computing the appropriate technology solution for delivering the required services?”
Nice job de-fogging the relationship between SOA and cloud, Dave.
Joe McKendrick is an author, consultant and speaker specializing in trends and developments shaping the technology industry.
Disclosure
Joe McKendrick
Joe McKendrick is an independent consultant, editor and speaker.
Joe has performed project work (white papers, articles, blogs, research and presentations) for the following companies in the IT marketspace:
- CBS Interactive/CNET/ZDNet (this blog)
- ebizQ
- Evans Data
- Gartner
- IBM
- Informatica
- IDC
- Microsoft
- Systinet/HP
- Teradata
- Unisphere Reseach, a division of Information Today, Inc.
- WebLayers
Joe has also performed research work for the following sponsoring organizations in partnership with Unisphere Research, a division of Information Today, Inc.
- IBM
- Luminex
- Noetix
- Oracle Corp.
- Teradata
- Informatica
- International Oracle Users Group
- Oracle Applications Users Group
- Professional Association for SQL Server
- International DB2 Users Group
- International Sybase Users Group
- SHARE (IBM large systems users group)
Biography
Joe McKendrick
Joe McKendrick is an author and independent analyst who tracks the impact of information technology on management and markets. Joe is co-author, along with 16 leading industry leaders and thinkers, of the SOA Manifesto, which outlines the values and guiding principles of service orientation. He also speaks frequently on Enterprise 2.0 and SOA topics at industry events and Webcasts, and serves on the program committee for this year's SOA & Cloud Symposium in London. As an independent analyst, he has also authored numerous research reports in partnership with Unisphere Research, a division of Information Today, Inc. for user groups such as SHARE, Oracle Applications Users Group, and International DB2 Users Group. In a previous life, Joe served as director of the Administrative Management Society (AMS), an international professional association dedicated to advancing knowledge within the IT and business management fields. He is a graduate of Temple University.
