For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

What IBM-Lombardi Means To Application Development Professionals

BPM Technology Will Be Much More Prominent; You Need A Plan For It

by John R. Rymer, Clay Richardson, February 9, 2010

IBM's acquisition of Lombardi Software is key to its plan to take business process management suites (BPMSes) from their current niche as a sometimes-used tool for developing and delivering applications to usage as common as Java or Visual Basic. The . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

TechRadar™ For Enterprise Architecture Professionals: Enterprise Data Integration, Q1 2010

Data Integration Technologies Evolve To Address New Challenges

by Noel Yuhanna, Rob Karel, February 4, 2010

Today, enterprises face increasing data integration challenges, largely because of growing data volumes, data protection issues, data migration complexities, the need for real-time information, integration of structured with unstructured data, and the . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Topic Overview: Information Architecture

by Gene Leganza, January 13, 2010

Information architecture (IA) is a cornerstone of enterprise architecture (EA), but 43% of the architects we surveyed either have not yet addressed this domain or have only begun to implement what they need. And for the vast majority of the established . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

2010 Update: Evaluating Integration Alternatives

Enterprises Face A Growing Need For A Unified Integration Competency Center

by Ken Vollmer, Rob Karel, Noel Yuhanna, January 12, 2010

Just as in 2009, technical innovation and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity have continued to have a significant impact on the integration space. The most common trend has been the expansion of existing products and services to the point where . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

The Next Wave Of IT Investment Is Smart Computing

Smart Computing Drives The New Era Of IT Growth

by Simon Yates, January 5, 2010

Like the mainframe, personal, and network computing eras that have gone before it, "Smart Computing" will usher in a new era of technology innovation and growth. But, says Andrew Bartels, it will be the most vertical epoch yet. It represents an amalgam . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Market Overview: The Middleware Software Market, 2009

Software AG And TIBCO Challenge IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, And SAP

by Stefan Ried, Ph.D., December 30, 2009

The middleware software market went through a sequence of paradigm changes in the past three decades. Most vendors offer middleware portfolios with various software components from basic application servers to recent and highly business-oriented business . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Oracle Gets More Specific About Its Sun Plans

No Forced Migrations, But Only Some Sun Products Seem Strategic To Oracle

by John R. Rymer, Jeffrey S. Hammond, James Staten, December 21, 2009

As the European Commission’s (EC’s) objections to the acquisition of Sun Microsystems continue to delay the deal, Oracle issued clarification on its intentions for Sun’s technology, most notably its middleware. Oracle hadn’t previously . . .

For CIOs

Insights For CIOs: SOA And Beyond

by Randy Heffner, December 15, 2009

The worst CIO misunderstanding about service-oriented architecture (SOA) is thinking of it as only another technical initiative for software reuse. Although SOA's reuse potential is real and good, its business impact goes much further: In Forrester . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Topic Overview: SOA And Beyond For Enterprise Architects

by Randy Heffner, December 8, 2009

With 74% of the Global 2000 now using service-oriented architecture (SOA), most architects recognize that SOA is about much more than Web services and better application integration. SOA continues to gain industry recognition as a key element of strategic . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Smart Computing Drives The New Era Of IT Growth

A New Tech Investment Cycle Holds Seismic Promise — And Challenges

by Andrew Bartels, December 4, 2009

The technology industry has entered a new cycle of tech innovation and growth, which we are calling "Smart Computing." Like prior cycles of mainframe computing, personal computing, and network computing, Smart Computing will power a seven- to eight-year . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Topic Overview: SOA And Beyond For App Dev And Program Management Pros

by Randy Heffner, November 23, 2009

If developers treat service-oriented architecture (SOA) only as Web services standards for better application integration, it can easily result in siloed, point-to-point Web services that solve only short-term, project-level problems. Longer-term application . . .

For CIOs

CIOs: Develop A Technology Watch List

The Top 15 Technology Trends To Watch

by Sharyn Leaver, November 13, 2009

As IT executives set out their strategies and plan for 2010 and beyond, they must determine what the top technology trends are for their business and gauge IT's ability to support the next phase of technology innovation and growth. To help, Forrester . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Top 15 Technology Trends EA Should Watch

by Alex Cullen, October 6, 2009

IT organizations need to inform their annual and longer-term plans with an understanding of how changes in technology will enable business outcomes. EA groups are the logical leaders for this effort. Forrester has identified 15 technologies with the greatest . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

What Semantic Technology Means To Application Development Professionals

Semantic Technology Is Now Ready For Increased But Focused Use

by Dave West, October 2, 2009

Semantic technology has been incubating for the past 10 years, but most application development professionals view it with skepticism or outright distrust, believing that the dream of semantic technology is impractical in a time of stretched budgets and . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Five Most Valuable SOA Governance Practices

Survey Ranks Broad SOA Governance Practices Above Detailed Practices

by Randy Heffner, September 22, 2009

A recent Forrester survey showed that SOA governance increases SOA satisfaction and that each of 12 different SOA governance practices has a positive correlation with higher SOA satisfaction. Which of the 12 should SOA users focus on first? Our survey . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

SOA Security 2009: Four Solution Patterns

A Two-Dimensional Continuum For Diverse SOA Security Solutions

by Randy Heffner, September 14, 2009

Architects crafting their organization's strategy and architecture for service-oriented architecture (SOA) security have a wide diversity of security requirements, business scenarios, and application infrastructure to deal with. To set a solid direction . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Survey Results Show SOA Governance Improves SOA Benefit Realization

All 12 SOA Governance Practices Correlate With Higher SOA Satisfaction

by Randy Heffner, September 10, 2009

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is mainstream: 75% percent of respondents from Global 2000 enterprises say their company will be using SOA by the end of 2009. However, across both enterprises and SMBs, 20% of SOA users are struggling enough with achieving . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

SOA Centers Of Excellence: The Five Most Valuable Practices That Keep SOA On Track

Survey Ranks Governance As More Important Than Training For SOA COEs

by Randy Heffner, August 28, 2009

Among the ways to keep a service-oriented architecture (SOA) initiative on track, forming a center of excellence (COE) is a frequently named option. Indeed, a recent Forrester survey shows that having an SOA COE correlates with higher satisfaction with . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

SOA Security 2009: Products And Specifications

Selecting Standards, Specifications, And Products For SOA Security

by Randy Heffner, August 20, 2009

As enterprise architects set their organization's strategy for service-oriented architecture (SOA) security, they will have to filter through a variety of standards, emerging specifications, and products that can contribute features and functions for . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

With "11g," Oracle Steps Out Of IBM's Middleware Shadow

New Release Will Also Blast Past SAP NetWeaver And Challenge Microsoft

by Jeffrey S. Hammond, John R. Rymer, August 19, 2009

The latest release of Oracle Fusion Middleware, dubbed "11g," establishes Oracle as the innovator among Java platform vendors. The first modules of Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g — the core Java application server, development tools, service-oriented . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Case Study: Using SOA And BPM To Support Enterprise Agility

How A Florida College Used An Integrated Approach To Reach Its Goals

by Ken Vollmer, August 14, 2009

Case studies are often the best way to illustrate technology's dramatic impact on enterprises. This case study provides an excellent example of how a joint implementation of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process management (BPM) can . . .

For CIOs

Distributed Enterprise 2.0

CIOs In Consumer-Facing, Distributed Firms Can Capitalize On Cloud Computing

by George Lawrie, July 23, 2009

In a desperate effort to maintain the connection with fickle consumers, line-of-business executives and their allies in IT are conspiring to lower the IT drawbridge in order to deliver personalized customer experiences wherever and whenever consumers . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

SOA Security 2009: Requirements And Design

Understanding Your SOA Security Requirements And Iterative Solution Design

by Randy Heffner, July 16, 2009

In industry discussions about SOA, external integration is treated as the benchmark indicator of SOA security maturity: If it's secure enough for external integration, SOA must be secure. By that benchmark, 30% of SOA users think SOA security is mature . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

European Airline Aims To Delight Passengers Through RFID Bag Tracking

Event-Driven Solution Lowers Costs While Promoting Happy Travelers

by Mike Gilpin, July 15, 2009

Processing lost bags costs airlines a lot of money: more than $1,200 per thousand passengers, not to mention the inconvenience to passengers. Thus, airlines are highly motivated to apply new technology to solving this problem. Through an innovative combination . . .

For CIOs

SOA: Dead Or Alive?

by Sharyn Leaver, July 10, 2009

Some recent buzz in the industry would have you believe that SOA is dead, but that just isn't the case — in fact, its use and influence are still growing. Stories of less-than-successful results may dent its reputation, particularly in today's climate . . .