Abstract
The proliferation of modular and standards-based service-oriented
architectures (SOAs) promises to make corporate IT operations more agile and
adaptable. However, the SOA trend is also catalyzing changes within the vendor
community that could create conflicts among long-time partners. One of these
changes is the emerging strategy of many systems integrators (SIs) to use SOA
methodologies to create reusable assets. These software assets encapsulate
best practices and business processes that the SIs formerly offered only via
custom consulting projects.
As SIs shift more of their consultant-based expertise into SOA business
services and other software, they are likely to encroach into territory that
was once the exclusive preserve of applications ISVs. The largest of these
ISVs which have ambitious SOA-based initiatives of their own should be
able to reach mutually beneficial arrangements with the SIs, which have long
been their partners. However, the prospects for second- and third-tier ISVs
are less certain, and potentially bleak. These smaller vendors may be able to
leverage SOA standards to offer best-of-breed complements to broad solutions
sold by the major ISVs and SIs. However, many ISVs may be driven from
once-safe vertical market and specialty niches by new business services
competition from SIs.
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