at my current job, we are evaluating the benefits we would gain from SOA. Personally, I would do SOA rather yesterday than tomorrow. But as always, there are some people out there, that are not really interested into such a drastic change, that a SOA brings with it.
What do I mean by that? Well it is rather easy. I am confronted with co-workers, that do not think like programmers do. Everything we talk about is reduced to the things they know. Not to the potentials that we could achieve. When I explain them what is really possible, they pretend that they understand what I am saying, but in fact they don’t.
Even worse, they talk bad about the idea, because it means big change for them. Even when I tell them, that a SOA would ease their everyday job…
On top of all, we have a consultant, who was there before I took over the apartment, and he wants to stick to the crap he thought of before. He knows nothing about standards and BPEL, instead he implemented his own “Workflow Engine” which has NOTHING to do with a real Workflow Engine.
The hard part is getting the idea across. How to explain, that using an Application Server will cost us money for the licensing, etc.
I have come to the conclusion, that it is important to emphasize on the good things. Have good arguments ready for people that do not think like you do, and that do not want any change.
Get the management on your side. Point out that this is an open standard. It allows you to integrate all those applications, you bought over the years, even the complete legacy ones. The possibilities by using BPEL and a Business Rules Engine are so great, that it is worth all the money. Make sure you get the global message across, and explain why it is important to stop thinking about one single application rather than the system in general.
When you do all that, I believe you will come to the same conclusion as me, and think SOA all the way.