When standards are created in the SOA space I mark the occasion by creating a Google Alert for that standard, and then sifting through the piles of links to get the real scope on the maturation of a particular SOA standard. To date, I'm tracking over 60 standards, starting way back when with SOAP, and prior to that XML (XML was well before Google was cool). Lately I've been noticing a drop-off in the number of b When standards are created in the SOA space I mark the occasion by creating a Google Alert for that standard, and then sifting through the piles of links to get the real scope on the maturation of a particular SOA standard. To date, I’m tracking over 60 standards, starting way back when with SOAP, and prior to that XML (XML was well before Google was cool). Lately I’ve been noticing a drop-off in the number of blogs, links, and articles that are talking about particular SOA standards. Where I received links that numbered in the dozens, per week, for some standards, I’m receiving 1 or 2, or no links these days. At first I figured it was just cyclical thing, but I think it’s a real trend. The press, bloggers, and even the SOA companies themselves are getting weary of the number of SOA standards out there competing for hearts and minds, and are just not paying as much attention to them these days. Even at the 7 SOA and enterprise architecture conferences I spoke at earlier this year it was clear that interest in standards is not driving SOA, but the notions of architecture modernization and agility is really in the forefront these days. While I don’t think anyone is not considering standards when implementing a SOA, the notion of standards just does not seem to be driving the decisions as it once did. I think this is silent push back from the years where the creation of SOA standards was more about marketing then coming together on the implementation of technology. I think the end users have figured that out, and considering the sheer number of standards out there that the vendors are asking you to follow and support, many are just finding that world far too self serving and confusing. I’m not sure I can blame them. Please don’t get me wrong. Doing things in a standard way, using standards, is very important. Investment in standards could indeed lower some risks in the implementation and the maturation of an SOA. However, while rallying around a few key standards such is certainly important, no way can you figure out how 60 or more, some of which are competing, will fit into your SOA. Perhaps it was too much, too early, and too confusing. Software Development