The emergence of key second-generation Web services standards has positioned service-oriented architecture (SOA) as the foremost platform for contemporary business automation solutions. The integration of SOA principles and technology is empowering organizations to build applications with unprecedented levels of flexibility, agility, and sophistication (while also allowing them to leverage existing legacy environments).

This guide will help you dramatically reduce the risk, complexity, and cost of integrating the many new concepts and technologies introduced by the SOA platform. It brings together the first comprehensive collection of field-proven strategies, guidelines, and best practices for making the transition toward the service-oriented enterprise.

Writing for architects, analysts, managers, and developers, Thomas Erl offers expert advice for making strategic decisions about both immediate and long-term integration issues. Erl addresses a broad spectrum of integration challenges, covering technical and design issues, as well as strategic planning.

• Covers crucial second-generation (WS-*) Web services standards: BPEL4WS, WS-Security, S-Coordination, WS-Transaction, WS-Policy, WS-ReliableMessaging, and WS-Attachments
• Includes hundreds of individual integration strategies and more than 60 best practices for both XML and Web services technologies
• Includes a complete tutorial on service-oriented design principles for business and technical modeling
• Explores design issues related to a wide variety of service-oriented integration architectures that integrate XML and Web services into legacy and EAI environments
• Provides a clear roadmap for planning a long-term migration toward a standardized service-oriented enterprise

Service-oriented architecture is no longer an exclusive discipline practiced only by expensive consultants. With this book's help, you can plan, architect, and implement your own service-oriented environments-efficiently and cost-effectively.