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In response to requests from customers and Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners, IBM is jointly delivering two specifications for building systems that use a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), which aim to provide developers with simpler and more powerful ways of constructing applications based on SOA: Service Component Architecture (SCA) and Service Data Objects (SDO).
These specifications take advantage of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), which structures IT assets as a series of reusable services that perform business functions. By structuring applications as a series of services, IT assets become more agile and organizations are better able to align their investments in dynamic business environments. For example, using the specifications, a mortgage lender can significantly reduce the complexity of automating the loan approval process by developing a set of interconnected "services" based on existing applications tying data on new home owners, including credit reports to processes for ordering home appraisals and rate locking. As a result, the lender services more customers while providing more value. In addition, by adopting these specifications, organizations gain a higher degree of investment protection, because they can deploy services with a variety of middleware technologies.
SCA provides an open, technology-neutral model for implementing IT services that are defined in terms of a business function and make middleware functions more accessible to the application developer. SCA also provides a model for the assembly of business solutions from collections of individual services, with control over aspects of the solution such as access methods and security. Vendors working to create SCA include BEA Systems, IBM, IONA, Oracle, SAP, Siebel, and Sybase.
SDO complements SCA by providing a common way to access many different kinds of data. The specification reduces the skill levels and time required to access and manipulate business data. Today, a multitude of APIs are used to manipulate data. These APIs tend to tightly couple the source and target of the data making their use error-prone and subject to breaking as business requirements evolve. SDO makes it easier to use and realize the value of these APIs without having to code directly to them. Vendors working to create SDO include BEA Systems, IBM, Oracle, SAP, Siebel, Sybase, and Xcalia.
SCA and SDO will be available royalty-free, and the authors are soliciting industry feedback. Together these specifications offer:
- A Language Neutral Assembly Model specification to simplify the development and usage of Business Services called "Service Component Architecture"
- A Java Language specification for implementing SCA service components
- A C++ Language specification for implementing SCA service components
- A Java Language Service Data Objects specification describing a common rendering methodology for data exchange between clients and services
- A C++ Language Service Data Objects specification describing a common rendering methodology for data exchange between clients and services.
Get the specifications and related material
- SCA 0.9 specification, related documentation, and tools
- Service Data Objects 2.01 specification (for Java and C++), related documentation, and tools
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Standards roadmap -- understand the impact and importance of standards and specifications for the development of SOA and Web services.
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Architecture: Build for the future -- visit the Architecture area on developerWorks and get the resources you need to advance your skills in the architecture arena.
- Find hundreds of articles, tutorials and interactive tools on related topics in the SOA and Web services zone.
