Service-Oriented Architecture Governance for the Services Driven Enterprise

Chapter 2. SOA Governance Reference Model

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) governance, Information Technology (IT) governance, and corporate governance in general are complex and misunderstood topics. With the industry focus on SOA and SOA governance, it is no surprise that the concept of governance has become so nebulous. The objective of this chapter is to clarify what SOA governance is and is not. We will do this by describing SOA governance using an SOA Governance Reference Model. The SOA Governance Reference Model will focus on enterprise SOA governance as a unique discipline relative to other governance disciplines, but with clear linkages and relationships to these other governance disciplines.

Governance does not have to be complex, but it must be effective. Ensuring SOA governance effectiveness revolves around a few simple questions:

• What must be governed right now and in the future to meet our goals?

• What policies are necessary to govern effectively?

• How will those policies be enforced?

• When and by what and by whom?

• How will exceptions be managed?

• How will we monitor the effectiveness of governance?

That is it. Answer these questions, and you can get to the heart of SOA governance. Remember the SOA governance definition from Chapter 1:

SOA governance is the definition, implementation and ongoing execution of an SOA stakeholder decision model and accountability framework that ensures an organization is pursing an appropriate SOA strategy aligned with business goals, and ...