Enterprise software architectures are shifting from collections of applications that are designed around user interfaces to assemblies of reuseable services. The first step in the evolution toward service-based applications was the definition and publication of services encapsulating discrete business functions.
The second wave used services in point-to-point combinations using protocols aimed at system interoperability for communication. The next wave of SOA adoption will focus on enabling composite service definitions that combine domain-specific languages for process orchestration, XML transformations, message routing, and business rules.
In this article, we'll look at how SOA platforms are evolving to meet these requirements. Specifically, we'll examine three related themes:
1. The nature and role of service platforms that are designed to host composite services and complex business processes;
2. The changes in how applications are described and designed in the new SOA platforms;
3. The importance of key standards in simplifying and commoditizing the integration of services and applications.
