The information overload on SOA is largely on describing the merits of SOA, principles of SOA and the vast variety of products intended to address SOA needs. There is, however, an acute scarcity of information on SOA implementation to bridge the gap between wanting to get started and actually deploying a game plan where the rubber hits the road.

This document is written to identify the factors to be considered, articulate the principles and questions to be asked that will drive the decisions within each enterprise towards creating a road map for implementation. Separating reality from hype, distilling the essential from the desirable, explicitly addressing the how-to, nuts and bolts of an SOA implementation is the topic addressed in this document. It's about getting going, showing investors the incremental rewards of SOA adoption and continuing on the straight and narrow path that links deployment of technology with business goals.