SOA provides a flexible application framework for managing changing business needs. Services oriented applications are positioned to unlock the business portfolio by providing adapters that connect to output nodes and an engine to manage the adapters. Adapters are reusable pieces of code that implement Web services (SOA) to achieve automated information access. Benefits are achieved by accessing applications in a portfolio with discrete services.

The aim is to streamline IT infrastructure. Services oriented architecture (SOA) is designed to achieve an alignment of IT investments with business goals. Adapters are used to achieve more flexible business response to market changes by providing bits of application functionality that implement business rules in the context of achieving implementation of automated retrieval on designated information.

SOA is comprised of engines and components. Engines are at lower levels of the integration stack providing brokering, integration, business process management, mission critical messaging, and transformation capability. Components are adapters or automated processes that are messages with rules imbedded in them.

SOAs are easy to use because the rules are imbedded in the message using a graphical user interface instead of a programmer. The services oriented architecture is the foundation for higher-level capabilities such as business process management and business activity monitoring. It enables the assembly of composite applications that combine functionality from existing applications to more effectively address the needs of business users.

Major changes in the software industry go beyond technical issues. Customer service, supply chain, IT governance, and procurement innovation is occurring across every industry. A major benefit of these changes is that software comes closer to meeting the agility demands of business environments. Continuing change in tools, technologies, skills, processes, products, and vendor relations pose significant challenges. Strategic positioning is driving adoption of service-oriented architecture (SOA).

Service oriented architecture (SOA) markets at $450 million in 2005 are expected to reach $18.4 billion by 2012. Market growth comes because SOA enables the flexible IT architecture that is needed to respond to market shifts brought by speeded product cycles and competitive challenges.

Companies Profiled
IBM Microsoft Oracle SAP BEA Sun Microsystems AmberPoint AttachmateWRQ BMC Software Cape Clear CAPE Systems EMC Documentum Envoy Tehcnologies FileNet Fiorano Fujitsu GoAhead GXS HP	i2 Infravio Inovis Interwoven IONA ItemField Kabria MQ Software Open Text Pegasystems Progess Software Savvion SOA Software Sybase Synergy Financial Systems Tibco Vitria webMethods Zebra Technologies