In physics, they say the simplest solution to a problem is usually the right solution. Applying the laws of physics to SOA, then, it stands to reason that enterprise service buses (ESBs) are the simplest path to SOA within organizations -- and perhaps in many cases, the right path for the organization.
There's been plenty of concern that an economic downturn would skim already bare-bones IT and integration budgets; therefore making it more difficult to launch SOA initiatives that cut across the enterprise. ESBs are a vehicle that can help break the "complex links directly between applications, which are reducing agility, and consuming chunks of the IT budget just in maintenance," says IBM's Lief Davidson.
Lief recently sat down with ebizQ's own Peter Schooff to discuss how SOA managers can employ ESBs to get around any budget crunches incurred from today's tough economy. (Link to transcript and audio file here.)
"The business needs to become simpler and faster to address the various business problems and, hopefully, with a reduction of the complexity that IT is being bound into today, more of the budget can actually be spent in delivering innovative new value rather than keeping existing systems running." This is where ESBs come in, Lief said.
There's been a lot of discussion across the industry as to how far organizations that don't necessarily have the resources or executive political can pursue SOA. Add budget crunches, and SOA becomes an impossible sell -- even though it does provide cost savings and containment in the long run. ESBs may provide a way to kick-start SOA in any climate.
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