Applying the science of networks to enterprise information systems that implement a services oriented architecture.

摘要

Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of major corporations are tasked with providing employees with access to information and tools to enable the efficient creation of products that provide a competitive advantage to the corporation. CIOs typically inherent Information Technology (IT) infrastructures comprised of numerous legacy applications that are interconnected by point-to-point interfaces, which inhibits the ability to rapidly respond to changing business needs. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is an Internet-based paradigm that promotes the ability to keep pace with technology advances by isolating and encapsulating technology changes within well-defined services. SOAs offer the potential to change how enterprise IT is managed but CIOs are faced with transforming their existing stove piped enterprise into a future SOA enterprise. Also fueled by the Internet, the science of networks has developed a sufficient body of knowledge that describes how real networks form, adapt, and die. Today's IT enterprises are the result of creating networks, so it is logical that this body of knowledge should provide valuable insights into executing SOA enterprise transitions. Using a science of networks perspective, this research examined three case studies executing SOA efforts to identify common practices, highlight potential roadblocks, and offers a general approach for commencing these transformational efforts.