Information-As-A-Service: What's Behind This Hot New Trend?

Information-as-a-service has exploded on the scene over the past two years, moving from an obscure topic to one of the top usage scenarios in service-oriented architecture (SOA). Forrester expects that in 2007, a majority of large enterprises will add SOA to the list of ways they integrate information. Tools and middleware to support service-oriented approaches to information usage and integration are multiplying rapidly, as are customer case studies that show a variety of different information service usage scenarios. Early experiences with this approach show that it can deliver tangible value today in simplifying integration, but the fragmented market and lack of a single common vendor vision of what these products should do creates much confusion on the part of potential buyers. Here, we address enterprise and information architects' top questions about information-as-a-service.