Book Excerpt: Enabling Agile Business with SOA

Ronald Schmelzer, of industry think tank ZapThink, describes four key benefits to SOA.[1]

1. Reducing integration expenses (both development costs and maintenance costs)

2. Increasing asset reuse (no need to re-invent the wheel each time)

3. Increasing business agility (the pace of business has changed, but few enterprises have)

4. Reducing business risk (both operational and compliance risk).

In the following sections, we will explore and illustrate each of these value propositions.

Read more at: Sys-Con

SOA, Enterprise Architecture, BPM all the same underneath

Is it time to fold SOA into Enterprise Architecture (EA)? Is there even really any fundamental difference between SOA, EA, and for that matter, BPM (business process management)?

That’s the question Kyle Gabhart asks in his latest post. (Dave Linthicum also predicted last year that SOA would eventually fold into EA).

Read more at: ZDNet

ZapForum Podcast: How Much SOA Do You Need?

ZapForum Podcast for December 14, 2007 features

Guest Expert Kyle Gabhart, Director, SOA Technology, Web Age Solutions.

Listen to this Podcast and you will:

• Learn how a “Selective SOA” approach can reduce the risk of a SOA initiative
• Understand how a limited scope SOA project should handle infrastructure and governance issues
• Learn about how to train SOA architects as well as details on the ZapThink/Web Age Solutions partnership for delivering Licensed ZapThink Architect credentialing sessions

SOA Training…Where to Find

I’ve gotten a lot of e-mail lately from those looking for SOA training. The issue is that good, solid, and real world SOA training is hard to find. You’ll either find you’re in a vendor training course, which has no value outside of their product line, or something that’s just too high level and theoretical to be useful.

While it’s in my best interest to just say ZapThink, there are others out there that focus on SOA training and provide some great results. The one that I would consider would be Web Age Solutions Inc., who now offers compete, soup-to-nuts, SOA training based on best practices. You can find out more about it here. The Web Age folks are even offering credentialing courses based on ZapThink’s LZA credential.

Read more at: InfoWorld

SOA Governance

Presents a wide range of SOA pitfalls and explains how governance is often the root challenge — and solution — to such problems.

Presented at a Webinar for Web Age Solutions on October 25, 2007.

20 slide PowerPoint in pdf format.

ZapForum Podcast: The Service-Oriented Business Analyst

ZapForum Podcast for May 25, 2007 features

Guest Expert Kyle Gabhart, SOA Practice Lead, Web Age Solutions.

Listen to this Podcast and you will:

• Learn what a business analyst does and how SOA is changing the role of the business analyst
• Understand the skills a business analyst needs within organizations implementing SOA
• Discover the prerequisites for becoming a Service-oriented business analyst.

ZapThink and Web Age Solutions Partner to Offer World-class SOA Training

BALTIMORE, MD — May 9, 2007 — In response to the significant skills gap for Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), ZapThink and Web Age Solutions, today announce a partnership today to deliver world-class SOA training and knowledge transfer to large enterprises. ZapThink, the industry’s foremost experts and advisers in the field of SOA, joins with Web Age Solutions, a premier provider of SOA education and mentoring to offer training solutions aimed at key SOA roles including business analysts, managers, and architects. The companies also plan to develop a cross-functional hands-on SOA workshop, and Web Age Solutions will also serve as a Certified Licensed ZapThink Trainer for Licensed ZapThink Architect (LZA) Boot Camps and SOA credentialing.

“We’re aiming to transfer SOA knowledge and expertise to enterprises as early in their SOA adoption process as possible,” states Greg Wagner, Web Age’s VP of US Operations. “With targeted workshops and role-based training, we are able to provide our clients with essential insight into SOA strategy, design, governance, and implementation, to ensure that they adopt SOA correctly the first time. Without that kind of expertise, enterprises can make critical decisions that will add weeks or even months to their SOA adoption initiative, significantly increasing their investment in SOA.”

ZapThink recently published a ZapNote featuring Web Age Solutions, detailing the company’s capabilities for skills training to companies focused on online business. Using industry-standard and emerging methodologies, Web Age Solutions help their clients build efficient and cost-effective e-business systems. The company offers mentoring programs that support the rapid development of mission-critical applications, and their technicians transfer their skills and knowledge to help clients maintain success. A full suite of services–from initial consulting to full implementation of your e-business strategy–delivered by experienced technicians and teachers makes Web Age Solutions an ideal e-business consulting and training partner. The company provides e-business system training to clients including 40 of the Fortune 100.

“ZapThink believes that the single largest factor impacting long-term success of SOA and other Enterprise Architecture initiatives is the chronic lack of architecture skills and talent,” said Ronald Schmelzer, Senior Analyst with ZapThink. “Through our partnership with Web Age as well as a number of other significant initiatives ZapThink is launching in 2007, ZapThink aims to increase both the supply and quality of skilled resources to meet the burgeoning demand for SOA.”

About ZapThink, LLC
Founded in October 2000, ZapThink, LLC (http://www.zapthink.com) is an IT advisory and analysis firm that provides trusted advice and critical insight into the architectural and organizational changes brought about by the movement to XML, Web Services and Service Orientation. We provide our three target audiences of IT vendors, service providers and end-users a clear roadmap for standards-based, loosely coupled distributed computing — a vision of IT meeting the needs of the agile business. ZapThink is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Its customers include Global 1000 firms and emerging businesses.

About Web Age Solutions, Inc.
Established in 1999, Web Age Solutions, Inc (http://www.webagesolutions.com) is a premier provider of technology and professional mentoring and education to the Fortune 500, Global 1000, and various government agencies. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada with US operations based out of Philadelphia, PA, Web Age has a significant North American presence. Through a combination of seasoned consultants, distributed partners, and virtual training deliveries, Web Age offers a commanding global presence with experience delivering knowledge transfer engagements on every continent around the globe.

Read more at: ZapThink Press Release

Web Age Solutions: Deep SOA Training for a Wide Range of Audiences

Companies are quickly realizing that doing Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) right means more than simply picking a set of tools and implementing some code. Indeed, companies are now clamoring for more information and guidance on SOA best practices, which has led to an upswing in the market for Enterprise Architecture-focused training and mentorship.

To address a growing demand, Web Age Solutions has put together a comprehensive SOA training program for managers, architects, and developers. Some highlights from this curriculum include high-level executive training, hands-on technical courses for both developers and testing personnel, and deep best practice instruction for architects.Their SOA courseware falls into four general tracks: SOA discovery, SOA strategy, SOA application development, and SOA optimization, enabling Web Age to offer a set of courses for any individual or organization who wishes to improve their knowledge of and capabilities with SOA.