Service Oriented Architecture and mainframe application modernization

Overview

Enterprise hub

SOA values

SOA products

If you look inside many modern large companies, you'll find that the heart of the business is sustained by literally millions of dollars worth of mainframe assets and core business applications. In fact, it's estimated that some US$5 trillion worth of applications -- critical business assets -- reside on today’s IBM mainframe systems.

The convergence of  Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and mainframe technologies can liberate these core business assets by making it easier to enrich, modernize, extend, and reuse them well beyond their original scope of design. As a result, information technology (IT) systems can deliver new value more rapidly, affordably, and at lower risk than by rebuilding and replacing what already works well for the business. By modernizing existing applications, IT can streamline business processes and increase overall business flexibility.

The IBM Enterprise Modernization solutions for System z help organizations cost-effectively and incrementally evolve core IT systems towards modern architectures and technologies. The benefits: Instead of having to support increasingly burdensome maintenance activities, you can invest in new IT functionality that expands business capabilities.

	Learn more about System z and SOA software from IBM
	Learn more about IBM enterprise modernization

Additional resources on this page tell you more about combining the power of System z with SOA, including products you can use to help take advantage of this unique convergence.

About SOA

IBM White paper: Unleash the power of mainframe assets into SOA. September 2007

Learn more (2 MB)

Web services technology and standards have now matured to a level that enables and encourages enterprise SOA deployments. SOA promises new levels of speed, flexibility, integration and adaptability for business applications in every industry and in every size of organization. SOA currently represents the fastest growing software segment in the marketplace. In fact, according to Gartner, eighty percent of customers will be using Service Oriented Architecture by 2008. A service oriented approach means looking at a business as linked services and considering the outcomes they bring. IBM is rated as a leader in eight Service Oriented Architecture-related Gartner Magic Quadrants.