It's getting harder not to talk about SOA without discussion the emerging cloud computing trend that is reshaping the IT landscape. SOA has a vital roll to play in enabling behind-the-scenes integration with cloud services, and to some extent, an SOA-based installation can be considered an organization's internal "cloud."
Web services guru David Chappell recently published a paper on “cloud platforms,� which he defines as platforms that “let developers write applications that run in the cloud, or use services provided from the cloud, or both.� Cloud platforms are also referred to as on-demand platforms and platform as a service (PaaS). (The paper was sponsored by Microsoft -- which frequently turns to David for thought leadership -- but doesn't necessarily reflect the vendor's stance on cloud computing.)
There are two forms of cloud platforms: cloud infrastructure services and cloud applications services, David said. Cloud infrastructure services include on-demand storage, integration, and identity. Cloud application services include Software as a Service, search, mapping, and other application services.
David notes that we’re only in the early stages of this evolution, and “cloud platforms aren’t yet at the center of most people’s attention.� However, he continues, “the odds are good, though, that this won’t be true five years from now. The attractions of cloud-based computing, including scalability and lower costs, are very real. If you work in application development, whether for a software vendor or an end user, expect the cloud to play an increasing role in your future. The next generation of application platforms is here.�
For regular updates and astute commentary on both cloud computing and the SaaS phenomenon, tune into ebizQ's own Krissi Danielsson.
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