• Are you looking for vendor-independent SOA training that provides practical information and expertise?
• Are you struggling with how to take SOA at your organization to the next level?
• Do you require a globally recognized credential that confirms your skills as a SOA architect?
• Would you value participating in ZapThink’s worldwide community of like-minded architects?

If so, then the LZA program is for you! One of the greatest challenges facing the SOA marketplace is the lack of skilled architecture resources that are proficient in SOA techniques and approaches in ways that are not specific to a particular technology or an individual vendor implementation.

Increasingly, individuals like you are looking to get the backing of a qualified third-party organization to not only endorse their existing SOA skills, but also enable ongoing education, network with other professionals, and enhance their careers.

Four-Day LZA Bootcamp

The flagship of the LZA program is the four-day LZA Bootcamp that ZapThink master architects conduct around the world. The course contains eleven modules plus several in-class team exercises and homework exercises. We also update the course material periodically to keep the content fresh and current.

Register for an Upcoming LZA Boot Camp Here

LZA Course Agenda

Module 1: Fundamentals of SOA

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to define Service Orientation and Service-Oriented Architecture, understand the distinction between abstracted Services and Service interfaces.

Module 2: SOA as Architecture

Upon completion of this module, you will understand the various views of SOA that architects must have, the Enterprise Architecture context for SOA, and how business agility affects the SOA approach.

Module 3: Service Fundamentals

Upon completion of this module, you will understand the role metadata play in SOA implementations, the details of Service contracts, and the roles of granularity, agnostic Services, loose coupling, and Service autonomy.

In-Class Exercise: Service Contracts

Homework: Service Model

Module 4: Intermediaries & Integration

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to understand the SOA intermediary pattern and the role integration and data play in SOA, and understand the advantages and challenges that Enterprise Service Buses present.

Module 5: XML Infrastructure and Security

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to understand and prioritize the XML performance and security issues underlying most successful SOA implementations.

Module 6: SOA Governance & Management

Upon completion of this module, you will understand the role SOA plays in governance, both in terms of the governance of SOA initiatives, as well as how SOA can facilitate IT and corporate governance, and the infrastructure required for effective SOA governance.

In-Class Exercise: Governance Framework

Homework: Business Case

Module 7: Planning & Running the SOA Initiative

Upon completion of this module, you will be familiar with essential SOA artifacts, understand the steps in a SOA project, and learn about change management in the SOA context, including the role of SOA maturity models.

In-Class Exercise: SOA Roadmap

Module 8: Addressing SOA Organizational Challenges

Upon completion of this module, you will understand the various challenges and pitfalls that organizations run into when planning and running their SOA initiatives, and also understand various organizational techniques that can improve the chances of success of those initiatives.

In-Class Exercise: SOA ROI

Homework: SOA Infrastructure Plan

Module 9: SOA Quality

Upon completion of this module, you will understand how quality becomes a full-lifecycle concern with SOA, the various aspects of SOA testing, and the challenges with test environments that SOA presents.

In-Class Exercise: SOA Test Plan

Module 10: Service Composition, Business Process, & SOBAs

Upon completion of this module, you will understand Service-Oriented Process, how a Service-Oriented Business Application (SOBA) implements a business process, and the role BPEL plays in implementing Service compositions.

In-Class Exercise: SOBAs

Module 11: SOA Futures

Upon completion of this module, you will have a good idea of the future of SOA, including its relationships with Software-as-a-Service, Virtualization, Cloud Computing, and Web 2.0. You will also have a good understanding of the role SOA plays in Enterprise Mashups.

Final Exam: SOA Jeopardy!

Testimonials

“I have found the LZA program to be invaluable in helping me cut through the vendor-driven hype and confusion that surrounds SOA. The course content is excellent and I found that the presenters had a wealth of experience and understanding that made it simple to understand things that I have been grappling with for months. I would strongly recommend this course to anyone who is looking to implement SOA in their enterprise.” — Eric Giles, Research & Development Manager, DinguBlue

My experience with the LZA program has been professionally rewarding and enjoyable. Ron Schmelzer and Jason Bloomberg both bring insight and clarity to the extremely complex domain of SOA. The ZapThink team cut through vendor hype and overloaded terminology to leave me with a realistic appreciation of available technology and the knowledge to make the right decisions on the SOA journey. The LZA Bootcamp exercises offer everyone the chance to apply SOA techniques and get immediate, high-quality feedback.” — Ken W. Norton, Licensed Zapthink Architect, Bootcamp Attendee

Register for an Upcoming LZA Boot Camp Here

Customer List

Credentialed LZAs work for companies and government organizations around the world. Here is a partial list:

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Alcatel-Lucent, Allstate, AMP, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Atos Origin, BAE Systems, Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi , Bearingpoint, Booz-Allen Hamilton, Bristol Meyers Squibb, BT Financial Group, Cablevision, CACI, Carlson Marketing Worldwide, Catalina Marketing, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, Chase, Cisco, CNA, Cognizant, Colt Telecom, Computer Sciences Corporation, Defence Science and Technology Agency, Deloitte Consulting, LLP, Department of Veterans Affairs, Deutsche Bank, Dubai Customs, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airlines, Ericsson Australia, Eskom, FAA, FBI, FDA, Fedex Services, Fidelity International, FNX, Fosters Group, Fox Mobile Distribution GmbH, Fujitsu, GE Capital Services EMEA Ltd., Genworth Financial, Harris Corporation, Helvetia Insurance, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, IBM, Imperial College Healthcare, Infosys, ING, Injazat, Johnson Controls, Justice Technology Services, Keane, Inc., KIBAN Corporation, Koodivirta Oy, KPMG, Legg Mason, LexisNexis, Liberty Life, Lifeway Christian Resources, Lockheed Martin, Logica, Louisiana Pacific, Lowes, ManTech, Marathon-ISA, Mastek ltd, Medicare Australia, Microsoft , MITRE Corporation, Mobily, Moneysupermarket.com plc, Motorola, NASA, National Library of Australia, National University of Singapore, Institute of Systems Science, Nedbank Ltd., Northeastern University, Northrop Grumman, Office of Naval Intelligence, Old Mutual, OneBeacon Insurance, Oracle, Palm Inc., Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, PepsiCo, Perot Systems, PetroSA, Physician’s Mutual, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Principal Financial Group, Progress Software, Queensland Transport, Riyad Bank, Royal Mail Group, S.A. Taxi Finance, SABMiller, SAIC, Samsung SDS, Sandia National Laboratories, Santam, Saudi Aramco, Scottish & Southern Energy, Sheffield City Council, SITA, Social Security Administration, Software AG, Solomon Telekom, South Australia Police, Southern California Edison, Spectra Energy, SRA International, Standard Bank, State Farm, Sun Microsystems, Superpartners Pty Ltd, Sybase, Tel Aviv Municipality, Texas Instruments, The Body Shop International, The University of Melbourne, United Health Group, United States Transportation Command, USPTO, Virgin Mobile Australia, Vodacom, Vodafone, Western Power, Westpac Banking Corp, Wipro, Woodmen of the World, Woolworths Ltd, and Zurcher Kantonalbank.

LZA Terms & Conditions

1. Your LZA fee entitles you to attendance at the four-day Bootcamp as indicated on your registration confirmation, plus all course materials and exercises and breaks. An LZA credential is not guaranteed. To receive your LZA credential, you must complete the requirements as listed above.
2. If you attend the four days of the Bootcamp and complete all the exercises, you will receive at minimum a Junior LZA credential. To receive the Senior LZA credential, you must successfully complete the additional requirements for that credential.
3. If you successfully complete the requirements for an LZA Credential, you will receive a certificate, you will be invited to participate on the LZA Web site, and you will also be entitled to claim that you have received an LZA Credential at the level you have earned. You are also welcome to be listed on ZapThink’s Web Site as an LZA Credentialed Architect.
4. All LZA Credentials expire one year from the date of issuance. ZapThink offers a one-day, online credential renewal course.
5. To receive an LZA credential, you must submit all completed written exercises to your instructor, if requested by your instructor. These completed exercises become the property of ZapThink, and ZapThink may use them in future LZA sessions, post them on the LZA Web site, or for any other use ZapThink sees fit.

Register for an Upcoming LZA Boot Camp Here

Cost and Venue

The cost for attending the LZA Bootcamp varies by venue. We run these courses all over the world. Click here for information on our current LZA Bootcamp agenda, including pricing

We also bring the LZA Bootcamp inside organizations for a special discounted rate. Please email info@zapthink.com for more information on running the LZA Bootcamp at your organization.

LZA Credential

ZapThink offers a globally recognized annual credential for all students who complete the four-day LZA Bootcamp. By completing the course, you are automatically eligible for the JUNIOR LZA credential level. Here are the requirements for our three credential levels:

Junior Licensed ZapThink Architect

Requirements: Completion of four-day LZA Bootcamp including completion of all the exercises at the Bootcamp.

Senior Licensed ZapThink Architect

Requirements: Complete AT LEAST THREE of the following:

• Submit all exercises completed in class to the online LZA Forums
• Contribute at least one blog post to the ZapThink Web site
• Contribute at least 2 original architectural artifacts to the ZapThink Web site that can be useful to others
• Respond to or generate at least 3 new posts on the LZA Forums with constructive feedback

Plus the following:

• Notify ZapThink at info@zapthink.com that you wish to obtain the Senior-level credential

Once ZapThink verifies the above, we will upgrade your status to Senior level. We’ll mail a sticker to you that you can place on your certificate via US first class mail (or alternate method at your cost).

Licensed ZapThink Architect Fellow

Requirements: Active Senior LZA credential and at least five years of experience as an architect and participation as an apprentice ZapThink trainer for at least two four-day ZapThink LZA Bootcamps. ZapThink calls upon our pool of LZA Fellows to run future LZA Bootcamps.

Register for an Upcoming LZA Boot Camp Here

Online Computer-Based Training (CBT) Version of LZA Bootcamp

ZapThink offers an online, self-paced, computer-based training (CBT) version of the LZA Bootcamp. Instead of in-class exercises there are written exercises and automated quizzes. Successfully completing the CBT version of the LZA Bootcamp entitles you to the same credential as you would have received had you attended a Bootcamp in person.

The cost of the Online, CBT version of the LZA Bootcamp is $1995 (USD).

Info & Register for the Online LZA Course

Online Renewal Course for LZAs

To renew your annual LZA credential, simply take the online CBT Renewal Course. The Renewal Course covers the new material ZapThink has added to the course in the last year.

The current version of the Renewal Course is for any LZA whose credential expired in 2008 or before. Renewing your credential will extend it for a year after it expired or a year after you completed the Renewal Course, whichever is later.

The cost of the LZA CBT Renewal Course is $495 (USD).

Info & Register for the LZA CBT Renewal Course