Software configuration management applied to service oriented architecture

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is an evolving machine communication process widely deployed and likely to gain further adoption with Web 2.0 implementation. SOA allows loosely coupled operations to communicate information from machines through software to end-users in a highly mobile world. SOA is dependent upon representational state transfer (REST) architecture and implementers face formidable challenges with governance and management in regulated environments. SOA is a system-of-systems software communication process requiring strict management and governance since it links development directly to business operations. Management of the relationships and dependencies of SOA through the application of configuration management is possible. People manage, systems monitor and record. An innovative approach is presented to apply the activities of an IEEE Software Configuration Management Plan (SCMP) to an SOA environment living a constant development life cycle to control change and facilitate governance utilizing engineering fundamentals.