Service-Oriented Service-Oriented Architecture: An Architecture: An Approach to Approach to Information Sharing Information Sharing

Regional Information Sharing Regional Information Sharing ConferenceConferenceSan Diego, CASan Diego, CANovember 28, 2006November 28, 2006

Scott CameScott CameSEARCH Director of Systems and SEARCH Director of Systems and TechnologyTechnology

Lets start with Lets start with “architecture”“architecture”

Architectural StyleArchitectural Style

An architectural An architectural stylestyle is a set of is a set of characteristics that distinguish an characteristics that distinguish an architecturearchitecture

The characteristics are intended The characteristics are intended to produce certain effects in to produce certain effects in things designed according to the things designed according to the stylestyle

SOA is an architectural SOA is an architectural stylestyle SOA is an architectural style, not for SOA is an architectural style, not for

houses, but for sharing information houses, but for sharing information and functionality between systemsand functionality between systems

Like any architectural style, SOA has a Like any architectural style, SOA has a set of distinguishing characteristicsset of distinguishing characteristics

There are many ways to build a There are many ways to build a functional house…the right one functional house…the right one depends on what you find importantdepends on what you find important

SOA StakeholdersSOA Stakeholders

The primary user of an SOA is an The primary user of an SOA is an architectarchitect

Others benefit from an SOA (the Others benefit from an SOA (the architect’s stakeholders)architect’s stakeholders)– InvestorsInvestors– System usersSystem users– DevelopersDevelopers

What distinguishes SOA?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

ServiceS

The fundamental organization of a system by its capabilities,

their interactions, and the enterprise environment

ArchitectureA

Aligning architecture to enable a collection of services to be

linked together to solve a business problem

OrientedO

Slide courtesy of Booz Allen Hamilton and OASIS SOA-RM TC.

SOA Key ConceptsSOA Key Concepts

Services Service Consumers

Real-World EffectsCapabilities

produce

provide access to

use

seek

Source: OASIS SOA Reference Model.

What SOA is What SOA is NotNot

The same as web servicesThe same as web services Service buses and message Service buses and message

brokersbrokers An infrastructure investment An infrastructure investment

strategystrategy The brainchild of any particular The brainchild of any particular

vendorvendor Radically newRadically new

How do I define an SOA?How do I define an SOA?

Use RM terminologyUse RM terminology See if there is a See if there is a

reference architecture reference architecture compatible with your compatible with your needsneeds

Further define your Further define your specific architecturespecific architecture

The SOA Value The SOA Value PropositionProposition Why is an architecture with these Why is an architecture with these

qualities a good thing?qualities a good thing? What value will I get by adopting What value will I get by adopting

SOA as my integration / SOA as my integration / information sharing approach?information sharing approach?

AgilityAgility

Accessing capabilities through Accessing capabilities through services, if done with care, should services, if done with care, should result in more agile integrated result in more agile integrated systemssystems

Agility: the ability to adapt to Agility: the ability to adapt to changing business requirements changing business requirements and environmental contextand environmental context

Agility Makes a DifferenceAgility Makes a Difference Agility is the hallmark of Agility is the hallmark of

successful modern enterprisessuccessful modern enterprises Citizens expect rapid response to Citizens expect rapid response to

changing requirementschanging requirements In the public safety arena:In the public safety arena:

– Clever opponentsClever opponents– New partners and requirementsNew partners and requirements– Policy initiativesPolicy initiatives

How is SOA agile?How is SOA agile?

Minimizing dependencies: loose Minimizing dependencies: loose couplingcoupling

InteroperabilityInteroperability When context changes, there is When context changes, there is

minimal impact on existing minimal impact on existing systemssystems

What kinds of context changes can What kinds of context changes can happen?happen?

System Context ChangesSystem Context Changes

If two systems depend on each If two systems depend on each others’ implementation details, others’ implementation details, what happens when one change?what happens when one change?

SOA de-couples systems by SOA de-couples systems by inserting a service interface in the inserting a service interface in the middlemiddle

Implementation Context Implementation Context ChangesChanges If integration uses vendor-specific If integration uses vendor-specific

protocols, message formats, etc., protocols, message formats, etc., what happens when the what happens when the protocols/formats change?protocols/formats change?

SOA de-couples exchanges from SOA de-couples exchanges from infrastructure by encouraging infrastructure by encouraging open standard protocols and open standard protocols and message formatsmessage formats

Temporal Context Temporal Context ChangesChanges If integrated solutions are not If integrated solutions are not

extensible, how will they extensible, how will they efficiently adapt to tomorrow’s efficiently adapt to tomorrow’s requirements?requirements?

SOA de-couples today’s solution SOA de-couples today’s solution from today’s requirements by from today’s requirements by separating integration logic from separating integration logic from system logicsystem logic

Endpoint Context Endpoint Context ChangesChanges What if it becomes desirable to What if it becomes desirable to

deploy an integrated system deploy an integrated system somewhere else?somewhere else?

SOA de-couples a system from the SOA de-couples a system from the current location of a consumed current location of a consumed service by providing for dynamic service by providing for dynamic addressing of messages and addressing of messages and content-based routingcontent-based routing

Semantic Context Semantic Context ChangesChanges What if two partners’ internal What if two partners’ internal

business processes use different business processes use different terminology, or relate information terminology, or relate information in different ways?in different ways?

SOA de-couples partners’ internal SOA de-couples partners’ internal semantics by requiring semantics by requiring agreement only on the semantics agreement only on the semantics of exchangeof exchange

Policy AgilityPolicy Agility

Hypothesis: Most events that Hypothesis: Most events that occur in criminal justice do not occur in criminal justice do not change much over timechange much over time

What changes is the policy What changes is the policy responseresponse

SOA Promotes Policy SOA Promotes Policy AgilityAgility SOA separates events from SOA separates events from

subsequent processes through subsequent processes through intermediariesintermediaries

Goal is to reduce gap between Goal is to reduce gap between business-oriented model of a business-oriented model of a process and the executable process and the executable representationrepresentation

SummarySummary

SOA is a style of designing SOA is a style of designing integration solutions to achieve integration solutions to achieve technical and policy agilitytechnical and policy agility

SOA is not technology that you SOA is not technology that you buy…it’s a way of thinking about buy…it’s a way of thinking about positioning your technology positioning your technology capabilities for agile sharingcapabilities for agile sharing

Contact InformationContact Information

Scott CameScott Came

Director, Systems and TechnologyDirector, Systems and Technology

SEARCHSEARCH

scott@search.orgscott@search.org

916-212-5978916-212-5978