Pfizer's SOA strategy

Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals, one of the world's largest drug companies (and a division of Pfizer, Inc.), has begun establishingits own SOA and rolling out new process integration projects. Oneproject that PGP is now discussing is a single sign-on application that spans multiple isolated back-end systems to accelerate project approvals on expenses, invoices and accounting.

Working with Blue Titan's Network Director product, the company leveraged existing technologies and platforms across operating units and lines of business. PGP developed a shared services strategy that now enables it todraw on existing data from a wide array of processes, establish consistent standards for IT systems and enforce IT policies across infrastructure.

Shared services have made it possible for developers to roll out and deployapplications much more quickly. PGP's Approvals Portal, the first productivity driving application of its SOA efforts,provides a single place for executives to gain approvals for project expenses and invoices by providing access to 20 systems on the back-end.

But it won't stop there. Next-gen apps have the potential to provide efficiencies for Pfizer's drug discovery, clinical trials and marketing activities.

As Martin Brodbeck, application architecture director for PGP, explains, "Most technology investments made in the past five years have driven efficiencies in vertical processes (e.g. order process). Pfizer's opportunity with SOA is to drive efficiency in processes that match Pfizer's strategic needs across multiple groups within the company--either LOB, geographic, or technical group -- and have an impact on unique elements of the business (e.g. clinical trials)."