IBM
SOA Foundation

by Sherry Kercher

Docid: 00011247

Publication Date: 2004

Report Type: PRODUCT

Preview

The IBM SOA Foundation provides the foundation for organizations to take
advantage of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). In addition to
software from IBM’s WebSphere, Tivoli, and Rational portfolios, the SOA
Foundation also includes business, infrastructure, and software services
from the company’s IBM Global Services organization. The SOA Foundation
delivers a complete architecture along with services, technologies, and
practices across the Model, Assembly, Deploy, and Manage phases.

Description

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IBM’s SOA Foundation delivers software that allows organizations to
implement a service-oriented architecture (SOA), including applications
from the WebSphere, Rational, and Tivoli product lines.

SOA is a business information architecture that enables the integration
of current and future enterprise business processes. Under the SOA model,
business processes are broken down into reusable services that can be
invoked by employees, business partners, and customers (as appropriate) to
facilitate enterprise operations.

Figure 1 illustrates the SOA architecture.

Figure 1. SOA Reference Architecture

Source: IBM

Vendor

Name: International
Business Machines (IBM) Corp
Headquarters
1 New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504-1722 US
(914) 499-1900
(800) 426-4968
Web: http://www.ibm.com/
Type of Vendor: Computer and Communications
Hardware, Software, and Services
Founded: 1914
Service Areas: Global
Stock Symbol: IBM (NYSE)

IBM’s SOA Foundation includes software and services through different
phases – Model Phase, Assemble Phase,
Deploy Phase, and Manage Phase.

Some of the more notable software tools that are a part of the IBM SOA
line include the firm’s WebSphere Portal; WebSphere Application Server;
WebSphere Business Monitor; WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus; Rational
Application Developer; Tivoli Composite Application Manager; Tivoli
Federated Identity Manager; and Tivoli Access Manager.

Along with these and other software tools, the company’s Global Services
unit delivers a set of services to assist in the design, implementation,
and management of a client’s SOA, including the use of third-party SOA
tools.

IBM SOA Foundation – Governance consists of the WebSphere Service
Registry and Repository, the Rational Software Architect for WebSphere
Software; Tivoli Change and Configuration Management Database; and Tivoli
Security Policy Manager.

Combined, the software and services make up the IBM SOA Foundation, an
integrated, open standards-based set of software, best practices, and
methods for the effective and efficient use of an SOA. The
interoperable and modular IBM SOA Foundation enables organizations to
select only the components they need right now, then add on new components
as a client’s requirements warrant. The IBM SOA Foundation focuses on the
various components of the SOA lifecycle, from the design of the system to
its management.

Table 1 examines the four phases of SOA Foundation, in greater detail.

Table 1. SOA Foundation Phases
Model Phase	Assemble Phase	Deploy Phase	Manage Phase
WebSphere Business Modeler Robust modeling, simulation, and analysis to accelerate process improvement.	WebSphere Integration Developer Eclipse-based developer tool for visual drag-and-drop programming and a test environment for WebSphere ESB, WebSphere Adapters and Adapter Toolkits, DataPower, and IBM Business Process Manager Advanced.	WebSphere DataPower SOA appliances. Helps secure, integrate, and optimize access to web, mobile, and API workloads.	Tivoli Access Manager Single sign-on solution that authorizes and authenticates user access to Web and other hosted applications.
Rational Software Architect Advanced, model-driven development tool for creating well-architected applications and services.	Rational Application Developer Optimized development for IBM middleware.	WebSphere Process Server Includes Process Manager, a platform providing visibility and management of business processes that scales smoothly from initial project to enterprise-wide program.	Tivoli Composite Application Manager for SOA Manages IT infrastructure performance and availability, helping control hardware and software by tracking and improving server utilization.
	Lotus Domino Designer Application development environment for integrating assets from across IT systems and provide application access through many different clients and devices.	WebSphere ESB Enterprise service bus to make use of a consistent approach to integration, while also reducing application complexity.	Tivoli Federated Identity Manager Business gateway to provide secure information sharing between trusted parties, with federated SSO plus a security token service.
	WebSphere Portlet Factory Java platform-based rapid application development environment for delivering enterprise-ready, standards-based Web 2.0 applications.	WebSphere Message Broker Advanced ESB that allows the integration of data sources from platforms across both SOA and non-SOA environments.	Tivoli Provisioning Manager Helps optimize accuracy and service delivery by automating best practices for data center provisioning.
	Rational Tester for SOA Quality Functional and regression testing tool for code-free testing of GUI-less Web services.	WebSphere Adapters Adapters to accelerate integration projects with JCA-compliant, platform-based capabilities.	WebSphere Business Monitor Cross-process, cross-system business activity monitoring software.
		WebSphere Portal Single AP to web content and applications.
		WebSphere Application Server Provides intelligent management for agile businesses.
		WebSphere Extended Deployment Delivers Quality of Service with features for optimizing IT resources.
		IBM Information Server Data integration platform to understand, transform, and deliver trusted information to critical business initiatives.
		WebSphere Business Services Fabric For adapting and responding to change with SOA-based business processes.
		WebSphere MQ Universal messaging backbone
		Lotus Expeditor Client integration framework to assist developers in integrating client and server applications in composite applications.
		FileNet P8 Captures, activates, analyzes, socializes, and governs content.

Applications

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The IBM SOA Foundation was developed for the enterprise client, in
industries such as aerospace and defense, banking, chemicals and
petroleum, education, financial markets, media and entertainment, retail,
and travel and transportation. The SOA Foundation helps enterprise
clients:

Increase Productivity – Leveraging existing
applications and data to create new and improved services.
Develop Services – Integrated into a readily
extensible SOA framework.
Foster Collaboration – Both inside and outside the
enterprise.

Environment

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The various software products that make up the IBM SOA Foundation each
run on a host of platforms, including various Windows, Unix, and Linux
systems. Due to the range of software and high level of customization for
SOA Foundation, IBM asks that users contact it directly regarding specific
platform-related inquiries.

Support

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Typically, IBM’s SOA products include a 12-month software maintenance
package that includes:

Upgrade protection, to the newest software versions and releases.
Remote technical support.
24×7 software support for critical problems.
Web-based self help.

Pricing

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Due to the sheer number of software products and services available under
SOA Foundation and their high level of customization, IBM asks that
interested, potential customers contact its sales staff at (888)
426-3774, or by requesting
a
quote via the IBM site, for specific pricing inquiries.

Competitors

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IBM SOA Foundation faces competition from HP, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP,
Software AG, and TIBCO Service-Oriented Architecture, as well as Red Hat’s
JBoss SOA Platform.

Web Links

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About the Author

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Sherry Kercher is an editor for Faulkner Information
Services. She holds a master’s degree in library and information science,
and tracks and writes about storage, communication networks and equipment,
and Internet technologies.

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