SOA is key to IT flexibility

Businesses striving for a more agile IT environment need to pay close attention to server virtualisation and service oriented architecture (SOA) as these two areas are being tipped for success by research published today.

But, while many organisations are expressing interest in both these technologies, they're not backing up the enthusiasm with action when it comes to SOA, according to analyst Butler Group.

Butler's research found that some 69 per cent of companies have deployed or tested a server virtualisation solution.

But when it came to SOA, just eight per cent of the two-thirds who said they were evaluating or adopting the methodology had actually deployed live services.

"The outcomes of hardware flexibility are primarily cost savings and efficiency, whereas software flexibility is the main instigator of new business value," said lead author of the report, Tim Jennings, who is also research director at Butler Group.

"Organisations must focus on their SOA efforts if they are to benefit from greater flexibility."

Operating with a more flexible IT environment will ultimately break down traditional barriers and ensure that technology is seen as an enabler rather than a hindrance, according to the analyst.

Achieving this level of flexibility will take time but can be achieved in incremental steps.

Butler advises businesses to adopt a well considered and consistent approach that combines the various elements of their infrastructure, software and operations to ensure success.

Jennings said: "IT flexibility will be a significant driver for competitive advantage, whilst the alternative of persisting with a disjointed and unmanaged approach will result in underperformance and increasingly unmanageable complexity."

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