Is there a Future for Enterprise Software?

The conversation about the role and future of enterprise software is a continuous undercurrent in the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) conversation. Indeed, ZapThink’s been talking about the future of enterprise software in one way or another for years. So, why bother bringing up this topic …

Application Modernization with SOA

Supporting the Business Service abstraction with legacy capabilities, and the role of reuse.

Presentation for Practical SOA event in Pittsburgh, PA on October 22, 2009, sponsored by Summa Technologies.

30 slide ppt in pdf format.

The Future of SOA

ZapForum Podcast for October 12, 2009: The Future of SOA: Does the Cloud Have a SOA Lining?

With guest experts

Jason Armstrong, Practice Manager for Strategic Solutions, Summa Techologies

Ed Horst, Chief Marketing Officer, AmberPoint

Brad Wright, Data Services Product Manger, Progress DataDirect

JP Morgenthal, Senior Principal Architect, QinetiQ

David Linthicum, Author, Cloud Computing and SOA Convergence in Your Enterprise: A Step-by-Step Guide

James Kobielus, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research.

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Training in Washington, DC

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Training in Washington, DC

Licensed ZapThink Architect (LZA) Boot Camp to Run February 1-4, 2010

BALTIMORE, MD October 14, 2009 — ZapThink today announces the opening of registration for its four-day Licensed ZapThink Architect (LZA) Boot Camp, providing in-depth, hands-on training and certification on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and taught by notable SOA expert Jason Bloomberg. The LZA SOA Boot Camp will run from February 1-4, 2010 in Washington, DC (http://bit.ly/vw7WQ).

“Companies are tired of all the hype surrounding Web Services and SOAs, and are finding it difficult to learn what they really need to know from vendor-centric conferences and training,” said Ronald Schmelzer, senior analyst with ZapThink, LLC. “IT professionals want to learn from their peers about what it really takes to put together a well-designed SOA, and desire third-party credentials to assert their SOA knowledge. The Licensed ZapThink Analyst boot camps give Enterprise Architecture practitioners the SOA education and credentials they’ve been waiting for.”

In this four-day SOA training course, attendees will get hands-on experience and expertise in how to implement the latest SOA best practices and methods. Learn about Service modeling, Service domains, SOA infrastructure planning, SOA testing, SOA Quality, Governance, and Management, developing a SOA Roadmap, SOA ROI and Business Planning, SOA Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and metrics, SOA security and performance optimization, SOA policy management, Composite Services and Business Process, Service-Oriented Business Applications (SOBA), and Mashups. Hear about notable SOA security case studies and get hands-on guidance in making SOA work. And, once you complete this course you will become a credentialed Licensed ZapThink Architect.

The ZapThink LZA SOA training and certification program in Washington, DC offers the following benefits:

• An annual credential that allows ZapThink to endorse individual enterprise architects as having specific SOA skills
• Posting onto an LZA Directory that enables companies to research and locate architects to assist with their SOA-specific needs
• Opportunity to contribute to ZapThink’s online research and content
• Participation in exclusive annual LZA-only conferences, events and activities.

The LZA Washington, DC SOA Boot Camp will be held from February 1-4, 2010. Register at http://bit.ly/vw7WQ.

Increasingly, individuals like are looking to get the backing of a qualified third-party organization that can endorse their existing SOA skills as well as enable continuous improvement, enhanced networking with those looking for architecture resources, or enhance their current SOA-enabled careers. Through its LZA program, ZapThink is filling the unmet need for knowledge and credentials in this area.

For more information and to register for an LZA Boot camp, visit http://bit.ly/vw7WQ. Early bird discounts are available for a limited time. Seats are limited to only 45 people per LZA boot camp, and ZapThink expects certain boot camp dates and locations to sell out.

Read more at: ZapThink

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Events in Sydney, Australia

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Events in Sydney, Australia

SOA Certification and Training, Networking, and Governance Events January 2010

BALTIMORE, MD October 21, 2009 — ZapThink today announces the opening of registration for three separate Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Enteprise Architecture (EA) training, certification, and networking events in Sydney, Australia, running from January 11, 2010 to January 19, 2010.

“Companies are tired of all the hype surrounding Web Services and SOAs, and are finding it difficult to learn what they really need to know from vendor-centric conferences and training,” said Ronald Schmelzer, senior analyst with ZapThink, LLC. “IT professionals want to learn from their peers about what it really takes to put together a well-designed SOA, and desire third-party credentials to assert their SOA knowledge. The Licensed ZapThink Analyst boot camps give Enterprise Architecture practitioners the SOA education and credentials they’ve been waiting for.”

Courses, certification, and networking offered include:

• Licensed ZapThink Architect (LZA) Boot Camp, Sydney, Australia, January 11-14, 2010 (http://bit.ly/34Ct0)
• ZapForum Sydney EA & SOA Networking Event, Sydney, Australia, January 13, 2010 (http://bit.ly/M8Af8)
• SOA & Cloud Governance Certification & Training, Sydney, Australia, January 18-19, 2010 (http://bit.ly/m2KMy)

In the four-day SOA training course, attendees will get hands-on experience and expertise in how to implement the latest SOA best practices and methods. Learn about Service modeling, Service domains, SOA infrastructure planning, SOA testing, SOA Quality, Governance, and Management, developing a SOA Roadmap, SOA ROI and Business Planning, SOA Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and metrics, SOA security and performance optimization, SOA policy management, Composite Services and Business Process, Service-Oriented Business Applications (SOBA), and Mashups. Hear about notable SOA security case studies and get hands-on guidance in making SOA work. And, once you complete this course you will become a credentialed Licensed ZapThink Architect.

The ZapThink LZA SOA training and certification program offers the following benefits:

• An annual credential that allows ZapThink to endorse individual enterprise architects as having specific SOA skills
• Posting onto an LZA Directory that enables companies to research and locate architects to assist with their SOA-specific needs
• Opportunity to contribute to ZapThink’s online research and content
• Participation in exclusive annual LZA-only conferences, events and activities.

Increasingly, individuals like are looking to get the backing of a qualified third-party organization that can endorse their existing SOA skills as well as enable continuous improvement, enhanced networking with those looking for architecture resources, or enhance their current SOA-enabled careers. Through its LZA program, ZapThink is filling the unmet need for knowledge and credentials in this area.

For more information and to register for the events, visit http://bit.ly/ctIJ. Early bird discounts are available for a limited time. Seats are limited to only 45 people per LZA boot camp, and ZapThink expects certain boot camp dates and locations to sell out.

Read more at: ZapThink Press Release

Speaking of SOA: Are services nouns or verbs?

ZapThink revels in stirring up controversy almost as much as we enjoy clarifying subtle concepts that give architects that rare “aha!” moment as they finally discern the solution to a particularly knotty design problem. Last month’s “process isomorphism” ZapFlash, therefore, gave us a particular thrill, because we received kudos from enterprise architects for streamlining the connections between Business Process Management (BPM) and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), while at the same time, several industry pundits demurred, disagreeing with our premise that services should correspond one-to-one with tasks or subtasks in a process.

Read more at: ZDNet Blogs

Media Alert: WebLayers and ZapThink to Discuss the Effectiveness of Governance in Federal Enterprise Architectures in Free, Live Webinar

As part of its on-going educational webinar series, WebLayers and ZapThink will host, “Boosting the Effectiveness of Federal Enterprise Architectures.” This free, live webinar is designed specifically for IT managers, architects and developers in the federal government that are interested in learning more about the role of governance within their agency infrastructure.

As part of the live roundtable, attendees will discuss the business and technical value of governance, designing an architecture that boosts productivity and adheres to the Clinger-Cohen Act, and how to use governance to support industry standards such as FEAF, DoDAF, TOFAF, SCA, and SCO.

WHO: Ron Karas, director of technical services, WebLayers
Jan Wolff, Senior Account Executive
Ron Schmelzer, managing partner, ZapThink

WHAT: Live educational webinar followed by audience Q&A

WHEN: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Registration is required to participate in the webinar. For more information, please visit: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/283424362

Read more at: Sys-Con

Are Services Nouns or Verbs?

ZapThink revels in stirring up controversy almost as much as we enjoy clarifying subtle concepts that give architects that rare “aha!” moment as they finally discern the solution to a particularly knotty design problem. Last month’s Process Isomorphism ZapFlash, therefore, gave us a particular thrill, because we received kudos …

Legacy, Data, and the Cloud

Presentation for Practical SOA event, October 2009, sponsored by DataDirect.

How the concept of the Service abstraction unifies the issues of legacy, data, and Cloud Computing.

35-slide PowerPoint in pdf format.

Enterprise Mashups

Presentation for Eli Lilly IT conference, October 2009.

Enterprise Mashups and how they leverage both SOA and governance.

22-slide PowerPoint presentation in pdf format.