Service-Oriented Architecture: An Approach to Information Sharing Regional Information Sharing Conference San Diego, CA November 28, 2006 Scott Came SEARCH Director of Systems and Technology

Lets start with “architecture”

Architectural Style An architectural style is a set of characteristics that distinguish an architecture An architectural style is a set of characteristics that distinguish an architecture The characteristics are intended to produce certain effects in things designed according to the style The characteristics are intended to produce certain effects in things designed according to the style

SOA is an architectural style SOA is an architectural style, not for houses, but for sharing information and functionality between systems SOA is an architectural style, not for houses, but for sharing information and functionality between systems Like any architectural style, SOA has a set of distinguishing characteristics Like any architectural style, SOA has a set of distinguishing characteristics There are many ways to build a functional house…the right one depends on what you find important There are many ways to build a functional house…the right one depends on what you find important

SOA Stakeholders The primary user of an SOA is an architect The primary user of an SOA is an architect Others benefit from an SOA (the architect’s stakeholders) Others benefit from an SOA (the architect’s stakeholders) –Investors –System users –Developers

What distinguishes SOA? SOA is an architecture approach for organizing and using services to support interoperability between enterprise data assets and applications Capabilities performed by one for another to achieve a desired outcome Service S The fundamental organization of a system by its capabilities, their interactions, and the enterprise environment Architecture A Aligning architecture to enable a collection of services to be linked together to solve a business problem Oriented O Slide courtesy of Booz Allen Hamilton and OASIS SOA-RM TC.

SOA Key Concepts Source: OASIS SOA Reference Model.

What SOA is Not The same as web services The same as web services Service buses and message brokers Service buses and message brokers An infrastructure investment strategy An infrastructure investment strategy The brainchild of any particular vendor The brainchild of any particular vendor Radically new Radically new

How do I define an SOA? Use RM terminology Use RM terminology See if there is a reference architecture compatible with your needs See if there is a reference architecture compatible with your needs Further define your specific architecture Further define your specific architecture

The SOA Value Proposition Why is an architecture with these qualities a good thing? Why is an architecture with these qualities a good thing? What value will I get by adopting SOA as my integration / information sharing approach? What value will I get by adopting SOA as my integration / information sharing approach?

Agility Accessing capabilities through services, if done with care, should result in more agile integrated systems Accessing capabilities through services, if done with care, should result in more agile integrated systems Agility: the ability to adapt to changing business requirements and environmental context Agility: the ability to adapt to changing business requirements and environmental context

Agility Makes a Difference Agility is the hallmark of successful modern enterprises Agility is the hallmark of successful modern enterprises Citizens expect rapid response to changing requirements Citizens expect rapid response to changing requirements In the public safety arena: In the public safety arena: –Clever opponents –New partners and requirements –Policy initiatives

How is SOA agile? Minimizing dependencies: loose coupling Minimizing dependencies: loose coupling Interoperability Interoperability When context changes, there is minimal impact on existing systems When context changes, there is minimal impact on existing systems What kinds of context changes can happen? What kinds of context changes can happen?

System Context Changes If two systems depend on each others’ implementation details, what happens when one change? If two systems depend on each others’ implementation details, what happens when one change? SOA de-couples systems by inserting a service interface in the middle SOA de-couples systems by inserting a service interface in the middle

Implementation Context Changes If integration uses vendor-specific protocols, message formats, etc., what happens when the protocols/formats change? If integration uses vendor-specific protocols, message formats, etc., what happens when the protocols/formats change? SOA de-couples exchanges from infrastructure by encouraging open standard protocols and message formats SOA de-couples exchanges from infrastructure by encouraging open standard protocols and message formats

Temporal Context Changes If integrated solutions are not extensible, how will they efficiently adapt to tomorrow’s requirements? If integrated solutions are not extensible, how will they efficiently adapt to tomorrow’s requirements? SOA de-couples today’s solution from today’s requirements by separating integration logic from system logic SOA de-couples today’s solution from today’s requirements by separating integration logic from system logic

Endpoint Context Changes What if it becomes desirable to deploy an integrated system somewhere else? What if it becomes desirable to deploy an integrated system somewhere else? SOA de-couples a system from the current location of a consumed service by providing for dynamic addressing of messages and content-based routing SOA de-couples a system from the current location of a consumed service by providing for dynamic addressing of messages and content-based routing

Semantic Context Changes What if two partners’ internal business processes use different terminology, or relate information in different ways? What if two partners’ internal business processes use different terminology, or relate information in different ways? SOA de-couples partners’ internal semantics by requiring agreement only on the semantics of exchange SOA de-couples partners’ internal semantics by requiring agreement only on the semantics of exchange

Policy Agility Hypothesis: Most events that occur in criminal justice do not change much over time Hypothesis: Most events that occur in criminal justice do not change much over time What changes is the policy response What changes is the policy response

SOA Promotes Policy Agility SOA separates events from subsequent processes through intermediaries SOA separates events from subsequent processes through intermediaries Goal is to reduce gap between business-oriented model of a process and the executable representation Goal is to reduce gap between business-oriented model of a process and the executable representation

Summary SOA is a style of designing integration solutions to achieve technical and policy agility SOA is a style of designing integration solutions to achieve technical and policy agility SOA is not technology that you buy…it’s a way of thinking about positioning your technology capabilities for agile sharing SOA is not technology that you buy…it’s a way of thinking about positioning your technology capabilities for agile sharing

Contact Information Scott Came Director, Systems and Technology SEARCH