2008-08-23

Book Review : Service Oriented Architecture with Java

This is the second book I read from Packt Publishing. The first one was very good but this one is really excellent.

It is split into 6 chapters :

Chapter 1: The Mantra of SOA
This chapter reviews basic tiered architecture, EA and the basic points of benefit of SOA including better integration, business agility, asset re-use, increase ROI
Chapter 2: Web Services and SOA
Practically all current SOA implementations now are built upon web services. XML over the Http protocol is covered. Representational State Transfer(REST) is covered.

Main java implementations of web services are introduced including JAX-WS 2, Axis2, Spring-WS, and XFire/CXF 2.0.
Chapter 3 : Web Service Implementations
Code is presented for getting a web service up and running in JAX-WS2, Axis2, Spring-WS, and XFire/CXF 2.0

The coded examples are very easy to follow and can get a developer up and running quickly.
Chapter 4: Data and Services – All Roads Lead to Enterprise Service Bus
This chapter reviews JDO(Java Data Objects) as an alternative to JDBC along with sample code and examples. Service Data Objects(SDO) are covered as a way to abstract data within and SOA.

Apache Tuscany DSO is covered with an example. Service Component Architecture(SCA) is described along with a Tuscany SCA java example
Benefits of MOM and ESB are also covered. OpenESB is covered as an open source option for implementing an ESB.
Chapter 5 – Traditional Integration Technology
2 Case Studies are presented showing the advantages of an SOA based architecture over that of EAI.
Chapter 6 – Goals We Can Achieve with SOA
Loose Coupling, Reusability, Seamless Integration, Return on Investment(ROI)


The complexity goes crescendo : in the beginning, the authors (they're three) write about the SOA concept, in a very general way, to make a good refresh about it.

Then some history about how SOA is implemented and why it's often through Webservices. And (that's the most concrete part) how to use available frameworks / norms to write Webservices.

I especially appreciated that part because it allows you to see in at a glance all the different (and most interesting) ways to build a webservice.

Then JDO & SCA are described and in a very good manner. No unnecessary complexity, to help you understand why these norms have a future.

And as a conclusion, two concrete use cases, to illustrate all what was previously described.

I won't say that every book should be like that, but not far away ...

To get a taste of it, feel free to download this free chapter (Chapter 4 Data & Services)

Recommended !


http://www.packtpub.com/service-oriented-architecture-for-java-applications/book


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