Ironically, the concept of Service-Oriented-Architecture had nothing to do with construction or the building industry. While architecture is focused on structure, the term Service-Oriented Architecture was born from computer software development and is entirely based on function. In the early days of computing, companies would assemble teams of programmers or "software architects" to develop a giant block of code that would perform a specific set of functions, reside on a specific type of computer, written in a specific language, for a specific type of customer in a specific type of environment. However, as technology evolved and advanced, like the advent of the Internet for example, old programs would die or have their value quickly diminished. Adapting legacy programs to work on different platforms or via different web browsers was difficult and very expensive. Every time customers' needs changed or a new technology was introduced, the old programs were thrown away, and new programs would need to be re-written in yet the newest language. With the adoption of (SOA), this behavior of build, use, and dispose ended. Software companies now recycle old code, package big block of code into smaller blocks of code to create a toolbox or library of functions. Regardless of the platform, and based only on customer desires, various blocks of functionality are dynamically loaded and assembled into applications that perform various tasks on any platform from any location. (SOA) extends the life-cycle of products indefinitely, lowers or eliminates the costs of development, protects past investments, and frees technology to adapt to the customer needs.
The original example of Service-Oriented-Architecture is Mr. Potato Head. When Mr. Potato Head was first introduced, he came without an actual platform or body. The customer provided the platform. They could choose an apple or a potato. Hasbro provided the "kit-of-parts". These parts were agnostic to the platform with few exceptions. The platform had to be soft to accept the various functions. With simple "dynamic loading", a potato would morph into a angry bald man or to a joyful woman with flaming red lips. This concept of taking a simple platform, equipped to accept the addition and deletion of functions at a granular level - based on customer needs, and subsequently changing the entire definition of the object is the unique key to Überblok. Our potato is a modified cargo container. Our lips, hats, eyes, and arms are functional classes of utility that provide plug-and-play adaptability for any customer, any climate, for any purpose. This yet without the gender confusion inherent in Mr. Potato Head.
Service-Oriented-Architecture (SAO)
