More on the SOA / Grid Connection

I just finished reading an interesting IBM developerWORKS column titled “Build applications based on SOA.” The author draws various comparisons between Grid and SOA — highlighting the convergence of the two technology movements.

It’s a good sign that folks are beginning to speak about the two trends in the same breath. Up until this point, SOA has often been discussed in a vacuum — strictly in the context of new application development trends. But when we’re talking about this new way of developing applications — shifting from monolithic applications sitting on dedicated hardware to “services” being shared / re-used across a broader environment — that begs the question of how the underlying physical resources will support the model. And as Ian Foster pointed out earlier in the year, to be truly successful, SOA environments are going to require a much better command of the underlying physical resources than the typical IT shop has today:

“SOA can use common Web services protocols (XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI) to distribute processes, but it in and of itself doesn’t describe the distribution and management of the resources. This is where the grid computing and SOA movements converge. Grid enables an effective collection of distributed resources. Grid defines the virtualization of data and resources as well as mechanisms for resiliency, including monitoring, resource and data discovery, and security. In order to execute a computing function, you need a process and a resource. Until the enterprise gets better command of its resources, the promised land of “services when and where you need them” will remain just an idea of where applications are heading. The unique combined capabilities of grid technology, including management of resources and information services — all built on a foundation of security — create the framework within which SOAs can succeed.”

Here’s a link to another IBM developerWORKS column that looks at Grid’s legacy with Web services, this time in the context of Grid security directions. As Grids and SOAs continue to mature — we’ll also hear a lot of discussion about their compatibility in terms of security requirements / frameworks.