Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Entry Points

You're ready to leverage the innovation of service oriented architecture (SOA). You understand the benefits of modular components and web services-a simplified IT environment, linked services, enhanced business processes, and new opportunities for improvement. Now, where do you get started?

IBM breaks down barriers to getting started with an approach that starts with the fundamental assets of your enterprise-people, information and processes. IBM also helps to lay the technical groundwork for integration of people, processes and information by offering entry points for connectivity and reuse. Our SOA entry points can help your business pursue SOA at a pace that suits your needs.

Any one of our five entry points can provide an effective and efficient way to get started with SOA. Click on any of the entry point names to learn more about each approach to SOA:

• The people entry point enables efficiency through interaction and collaboration with application and information services that support business.
• The process entry point offers tools and services to help streamline business process management for continuous innovation.
• The information entry point enables access to complex, heterogeneous data sources within your company by delivering information as a service.
• The connectivity entry point links people, processes and information in your business with a seamless flow of messages and information from virtually anywhere at anytime using anything.
• The reuse entry point focuses on deriving continued value from previous asset investments, identifying services to be outsourced and designing new services to fill portfolio gaps.

SOA governance is designed to serve as the foundation of your SOA projects and help you make better IT decisions. Our governance methodology, technology and service are designed to help you:

• Establish decision rights for your SOA environment.
• Define high value business services.
• Manage the lifecycle of service assets.
• Measure effectiveness.

There is no single answer-it depends on your business priorities and needs. Taking a business-centric approach to SOA ensures that IT investments remain focused on areas that will mean the most for the bottom line. IBM can help you lay out an approach that's right for you and help architect a project to help you reach that goal. Get started today.

• Talk to your IBM representative about your business goals.
• Take a self assessment (US).
• Visit www.ibm.com/soa (US).
• Contact IBM directly by using one of the options in the 'We're here to help'.