Achieving Success With Service Oriented Architecture

Derek Ireland

17th March, 2005

Themes

– Implementing a Service Oriented Architecture

– Using Application Design Patterns, Frameworks and Processes

– Achieving demonstrable value for the business from SOA

Some Definitions

– Business Service– Reusable Service that provides a recognisable business

function– Examples could be Verify Identity, Provide Bank Details,

Maintain Address, Produce Statement

– Application Design Pattern– Architecture, Design and Implementation Patterns– Architecture Pattern shows concepts– Design Pattern gives technology independent design advice– Implementation Pattern gives technology specific “how to”

advice

– Framework– Software Framework abstracting applications from lower level

implementation issues such as communication across tiers, logging

Right Now

– Over 70 service consuming SOA applications running in production

– Over 40% of our back-end transactions are initiated through our SOA

– Over 250 reusable Business Services in our Business Service Catalogue

– Over 50% of Business Services are reused

– £2,000,000+ of development saving

– SOA implemented across the group

– SOA independently reviewed and endorsed as best practice

How did Standard Life achieve a mature SOA implementation?

Evolution to Mature SOA

Standardised Data Access

Catalogued Reusable Data Services

Introduced Application Design Patterns

Hub Centric Design Pattern (SOA)

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

What did we set out to do?

– Implement a hub of reusable, channel independent business services

– Enable impact free change with reuse (Service Versioning)

– Ensure application designs are consistent

– Simplify application development in support of multi-channel business

– Ensure consistent operational behaviour of applications

– Ensure best use is made of current technology

– Establish a framework within which new technologies can be introduced when appropriate

Our SOA Design Pattern

Patterns which enable the development of applications that provide and consume reusable,

channel-independent business services.

Clients

Channel Dependent

Business Services

Channel Independent

Application Layers

Data Service Layer

Business Service Layer

PresentationLayer

ChannelGateway

ApplicationControlLayer

Business Service Interface Layer

Syste

ms M

anag

em

ent

Business Services

– Provide Business Function– If it doesn’t mean anything to the business, it’s not a

business service

– XML Interfaces as standard

– Business service standards– Documentation– Fault notification– Request/reply structures

Managing the Business Service Catalogue

– Analysis & Design Time Catalogue

– Documenting and Publicising Services

– Business Service Definitions– Interfaces– Functional & non-functional characteristics

– Managing Services– Supported by the Business Service Management team– Virtual team drawn from all development areas

– Measuring Service Reuse and Value– Demonstrate the return on SOA

Metrics on Business Service Reuse

Catalogue

Statistics

How many services ?

250

123How many services

are reused?

253How many instances

of reuse?

What is the value ofdevelopment saving?

£2,000,000+

Framework & Infrastructure

Applications(Business Services)

Hub Centric DesignPattern

How do we develop with all these layers

Applications(Business Services)

Hub Centric DesignPattern

Framework & Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Websphere & z/os based infrastructure in support of standard applications built to a common design pattern and on common frameworks.

Framework

Java & COBOL framework abstracting applications from underlying infrastructure (e.g. WMQ) and providing standard APIs for common application behaviours (e.g. logging).

What does framework give us?

– Easier application development

– Execution time consistency

– Applications behave in a standard way on a standard infrastructure

– Better systems management– Reliability– Availability

– Easier to support in production

– Minimised risk when introducing change

Framework example Business Service Invocation

– Application requests business service by name / version

– Runtime Business Service Directory is used

– BSD accessed only by framework

– BSD contains– End points (WMQ Queues)– Quality of service attributes

– Framework resolves all aspects of service invocation– Operational Platform– Transport Protocol– Target Queue– What to do if it fails to respond and how to do it– How long to wait for it to respond

Service Delivery with SOA

System Management

– Common framework gives us standardisation

– Applications are built and delivered in a consistent manner

– Logging events are correlated end-to-end across different platforms

– Data mining tools available to interrogate logging events

– Component interaction data is available from framework

– Impact analysis tools available to interrogate component interaction information and support system management

Operational Support

– Building and delivering applications in a consistent manner means

– They all behave the same

– We have 70 service consuming applications in production

– We have up to 350 service consuming applications across all environments at any one time

– Our volumes have increased 900% since we implemented this in 2001

– Our Infrastructure technical support team for SOA applications remains 7 people

What have we delivered for the business?

Reusable Business Services

Business 2 Business

MortgageTele

servicing

NewBusiness

SIPP

Folders

User 2 Business

HealthcareePS

CSOL

Tracking

eCPS

NewBusiness

Quotes

InternalApps

Direct toCustomer

Apps

AdviserZone

MortgageSourcingSystems

Real TimeContractEnquiry

ContractEnquiry

NewBusiness

Links

Quotes

Messagingto Industry

Portals

BulkContractEnquiry

Messaging to IFA

Software

Provide Bank Details

Produce Statement

Provide Agent Details

Verify Identity

Maintain LPS Proposal

Provide Pension Valuation

Maintain Address

Maintain Self Invested Asset

Search and Validate Address

Provide Annuity Details

Maintain Drawdown Details

Create Outgoing Document

Provide Scheme Info

Provide Life Cover Info

Send eMail

What have we learned?

Our Experience

– SOA needs technology, processes and people– For us, Web Services does not equal SOA

– Align architecture, development and operational groups

– Use framework to deliver consistency and achieve flexibility

– Framework uncouples applications from infrastructure– Allows applications and infrastructure to evolve independently

– SOA needs management of a portfolio of services– Make this a virtual team and include all development areas

– SOA can deliver real savings– Development savings of £2m plus realised in 3 years

– Establish metrics as part of SOA– Be ready to communicate the value of SOA

Derek IrelandApplication Design Manager

Standard Life,IS Division52 Annandale Street,Edinburghderek_a_ireland@standardlife.com

Thank You