Data and Web Services
One of the biggest integration challenges many developers have faced over the years is what to do about the data. Especially when that data resides on the mainframe. Over the years, programs have been written, FTP processes executed, ODBC/JDBC based applications created, none really providing a seamless and straight forward way of integrating data.
With the increased popularity and acceptance of web services, one must not forget about the data. Having a strategy for providing data access from within a coarse grained service, or as part of a fine grained or business service, is crucial to the success of an SOA strategy. By using a standard web services interface to the data, no programs need to be written, no FTP processes created, and there is absolutely no need for ODBC or JDBC. This capability adds a dimension to composite services that lends a great deal of flexibility. Imagine doing a database lookup and passing that data into another application without writing an application to get that data. This is the nirvana of data integration.
