Companies will continue to increase investments in service oriented architecture (SOA) throughout the rest of 2006, according to the IDC study "SOA-Based Services Buying Trends." Most U.S.-based companies surveyed rated SOA as important to their overall business strategy, and indicated that they are planning to purchase SOA-related services by the end of 2006.
SOA, a software development approach founded on easy integration of disparate applications, is a significant opportunity for service providers and vendors to assist companies in implementing SOA, according to Marianne Hedin, program manager for IDC's Worldwide Services and SOA programs. Vendors must continue their education efforts, provide guidelines, and demonstrate business benefits to reach the majority of potential SOA users, according to Hedin.
