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Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs) are the latest version of distributed application architectures and as such we believe that classic object-oriented (OO) principles including abstraction, encapsulation and loose coupling are still important.
The integration of SOA principles and modern technology allows organisations to build applications with high levels of agility and flexibility while allowing them to leverage existing legacy environments, and Oakleigh's technology division has extensive experience of assisting client in delivering this integration.
The emergence of key second-generation (WS-*) web services standards, such as:
- WS-Security
- WS-Transaction
- WS-Coordination
- WS-Atomic Transaction,
- WS-Business Activity
- WS-Reliable Messaging
- WS-Policy
WS-Addressing must also be leveraged to ensure that SOA is an effective platform for contemporary and efficient business automation solutions. While, of course, web services are not a mandatory component of SOA these technologies are particularly well suited to physically implementing SOAs providing benefits like:
- platform independence
- formal interfacing
- self description and discovery
Already these standards have achieved far broader industry acceptance and tool support and they provide an important platform for the delivery of distributed architectures for the foreseeable future with especial relevance to:
- The design and review of integration strategies bringing best
practices for both XML and web services technologies. - The use of service-oriented design principles for business and
technical modelling. - Exploration of design issues related to a wide variety of service-oriented integration architectures that integrate XML and
Web services into legacy and EAI environments. - The provision of a clear roadmap for planning a long-term
migration toward a standardised service-oriented enterprise.
How can Oakleigh help?
Oakleigh can help its clients in all aspects of their move towards a service oriented approach to their architectures as follows:
- Provision of TOGAF 8 accredited Enterprise Architects to assist with the definition of architecture principals and roadmap. They can work with your enterprise architecture team to co-ordinate the entire migration and provide ongoing governance.
- Business analysts experienced in best practice use of technologies to look at the business need and how this can best be realised by potential architectural change.
- Oakleigh also has experience in the Business Process Management arena (BPM) which enables the standardisation and coordination of business processes throughout the enterprise.
- Design and specification of applications and solutions which will fit within the service oriented architecture whilst remaining loosely coupled, cohesive and easy to change or replace.
- Lead software developers with experience in a broad cross section of industry standard technologies and methodologies can help to deliver these solutions.
Our developers can work individually, or as a team. They are also able to lead or work within your own teams to share knowledge and experience, and kick start development using new technologies and methodologies.
"Oakleigh Consulting's Technology Division's unique combination of innovation and experience led us to select them for a high-profile delivery project... It is a tribute to the Oakleigh organisation that they were able to provide such a high-quality solution within the aggressive time scales that we demanded."
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