Enterprises that effectively align technology with business goals achieve competitive advantage.

Service-Oriented Architecture is an IT strategy that organizes the discrete functions contained in enterprise applications into interoperable, standards-based services that can be combined and reused quickly to meet business needs.

Why Adopt SOA?

A service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a higher level of application development that enables IT to focus on business processes, rather than the underlying IT infrastructure, to achieve competitive advantage.

SOA is valuable to enterprises that need to solve business-critical problems using information technology, including enterprises that want to minimize redundant infrastructure and create a common business interface across customer and employee systems; businesses that need to personalize information to users based on roles and workflows; and organizations that want to use the Internet to boost revenue per customer through cross-selling, up-selling and access via mobile devices.

Enterprises that adopt a service-driven approach experience the following business and IT benefits:

Business Benefits of Service-Oriented Architecture

	Efficiency: Transform business processes from siloed, replicated processes into highly leveraged, shared services that cost less to maintain.
	Responsiveness: Rapid adaptation and delivery of key business services to meet market demands for increased service levels to customers, employees, and partners.
	Adaptability: More effectively rollout changes throughout the business with minimal complexity and effort, saving time and money.

IT Benefits of Service-Oriented Architecture

	Reduced Complexity: Standards-based compatibility versus point-to-point integration reduces complexity.
	Increased Reuse: More efficient application/project development and delivery through the reuse of shared services, previously developed and deployed.
	Legacy Integration: Legacy applications, leveraged as re-usable services, lowers the cost of maintenance and integration.

Today's service-driven enterprises are experiencing these benefits and more as they leverage IT in the rapid development and reliable delivery of new and enhanced services in order to maximize business opportunities.