SOA is a methodology, rather than a technology. So, how does the move to cloud and mobile affect service-oriented architectures?

✹ I’ve heard cloud computing referred to as ‘object-oriented infrastructure’ – so cloud and SOA share a common history. While SOA directs us on how to construct a service, cloud deals with the mechanisms and architecture required to deliver the service. Both share a common mindset of abstraction and reusability that would make them natural partners. Mobility, on the other hand, dictates that we create a delivery mechanism that is, as far as possible, end-point-agnostic – so whether we are delivering the service to a handset or a television, we receive the service in an intuitive, consumable format. Gareth James, solution strategist: cloud computing, CA Southern Africa