The Crisis Points of the ZapThink 2020 Vision

A Crisis Point must both be game- changing as well as unexpected.

IT without the IT Department

Almost exactly a year ago, we wrote in a ZapFlash that the IT department would have to make significant changes to its structure and value proposition to prevent its inevitable demise as a core part of the enterprise. In our conversations with enterprise architects, and venture capital investors (as part of our new ZapThink Startup [...]

Cloud killing the enterprise software market? Hold that thought

“As their customers started figuring out that SOA success didn’t depend on buying new software after all, but rather was a better way to organize existing IT assets, now cloud computing may replace the need to own those assets altogether.”

Why Cloud Computing Scares the Platform Vendors

The platform vendors are running scared. They were caught by surprise by the SOA debacle, and now they see the same writing on the Cloud Computing wall. As their customers started figuring out that SOA success didn’t depend on buying new software after all, but rather was a better way to organize existing IT assets, now Cloud Computing may replace the need to own those assets altogether. Imagine a world where <a href=”http://www.zapthink.com/2009/10/28/is-there-a-future-for-enterprise-software/”>enterprises no longer purchase software at all</a>! Why bother, when they can rent it on the Cloud, pay as they go, and never have to worry about maintaining or upgrading the big packages that have kept the vendors’ stock prices up for so long?

More on the Data Integration and Terrorism Connection

“I’m sure today’s intelligence agents have state-of-the-art analysis tools, since after all, if they don’t have them, then who does?” wrote ZapThink’s Jason Bloomberg.

The Christmas Day Bomber, Moore’s Law, and Enterprise IT

Amid the posturing and recriminations following this past December’s ill-fated terrorist attack by the Nigerian Christmas bomber, the underlying cause of the intelligence breach has gone all but unnoticed. how is it the global post-9/11 anti-terrorist machine could miss a lone Nigerian with explosives in his underwear? After all, chatter included reference to “the Nigerian,” [...]

ZapThink Training Offerings

ZapThink Training ZapThink offers a range of different courses and training options for both individuals and organizations. We offer a regular schedule of open enrollment courses, and we can also bring any course we offer in-house anywhere in the world for a discounted fee per student. Licensed ZapThink Architect Program ZapThink’s flagship offering is the [...]

ZapThink explores the four stages of SOA governance that lead to business agility

For several years now, ZapThink has spoken about SOA governance “in the narrow” vs. SOA governance” in the broad.” SOA governance in the narrow refers to governance of the SOA initiative, and focuses primarily on the service lifecycle.

When vendors try to sell you SOA governance gear, they’re typically talking about SOA governance in the narrow. SOA governance in the broad, in contrast, refers to IT governance in the SOA context. In other words, how will SOA help with IT governance (and by extension, corporate governance) once your SOA initiative is up and running?

In both our Licensed ZapThink Architect Boot Camp as well as our newer SOA and Cloud Governance Course, we also point out how governance typically involves human communication-centric activities like architecture reviews, human management, and people deciding to comply with policies. We point out this human context for governance to contrast it to the technology context that inevitably becomes the focus of SOA governance in the narrow. There is an important technology-centric SOA governance story to be told, of course, as long as it’s placed into the greater governance context.

One question we haven’t yet addressed in depth, however, is how these two contrasts – narrow vs. broad, human vs. technology – fit together. Taking a closer look, there’s an important trend taking shape, as organizations mature their approach to SOA governance, and with it, the overall SOA effort. Following this trend to its natural conclusion highlights some important facts about SOA, and can help organizations understand where they want to end up as their SOA initiative reaches its highest levels of maturity.

Read more at: ZDNet

The Four Stages of SOA Governance

For several years now, ZapThink has spoken about SOA Governance “in the narrow” vs. SOA governance “in the broad.” SOA governance in the narrow refers to governance of the SOA initiative, and focuses primarily on the Service lifecycle. When vendors try to sell you SOA governance gear, they’re typically talking …

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Events in Sydney, Australia

ZapThink Announces Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Events in Sydney, Australia

SOA Certification and Training, Networking, and Governance Events January 2010

BALTIMORE, MD October 21, 2009 — ZapThink today announces the opening of registration for three separate Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Enteprise Architecture (EA) training, certification, and networking events in Sydney, Australia, running from January 11, 2010 to January 19, 2010.

“Companies are tired of all the hype surrounding Web Services and SOAs, and are finding it difficult to learn what they really need to know from vendor-centric conferences and training,” said Ronald Schmelzer, senior analyst with ZapThink, LLC. “IT professionals want to learn from their peers about what it really takes to put together a well-designed SOA, and desire third-party credentials to assert their SOA knowledge. The Licensed ZapThink Analyst boot camps give Enterprise Architecture practitioners the SOA education and credentials they’ve been waiting for.”

Courses, certification, and networking offered include:

• Licensed ZapThink Architect (LZA) Boot Camp, Sydney, Australia, January 11-14, 2010 (http://bit.ly/34Ct0)
• ZapForum Sydney EA & SOA Networking Event, Sydney, Australia, January 13, 2010 (http://bit.ly/M8Af8)
• SOA & Cloud Governance Certification & Training, Sydney, Australia, January 18-19, 2010 (http://bit.ly/m2KMy)

In the four-day SOA training course, attendees will get hands-on experience and expertise in how to implement the latest SOA best practices and methods. Learn about Service modeling, Service domains, SOA infrastructure planning, SOA testing, SOA Quality, Governance, and Management, developing a SOA Roadmap, SOA ROI and Business Planning, SOA Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and metrics, SOA security and performance optimization, SOA policy management, Composite Services and Business Process, Service-Oriented Business Applications (SOBA), and Mashups. Hear about notable SOA security case studies and get hands-on guidance in making SOA work. And, once you complete this course you will become a credentialed Licensed ZapThink Architect.

The ZapThink LZA SOA training and certification program offers the following benefits:

• An annual credential that allows ZapThink to endorse individual enterprise architects as having specific SOA skills
• Posting onto an LZA Directory that enables companies to research and locate architects to assist with their SOA-specific needs
• Opportunity to contribute to ZapThink’s online research and content
• Participation in exclusive annual LZA-only conferences, events and activities.

Increasingly, individuals like are looking to get the backing of a qualified third-party organization that can endorse their existing SOA skills as well as enable continuous improvement, enhanced networking with those looking for architecture resources, or enhance their current SOA-enabled careers. Through its LZA program, ZapThink is filling the unmet need for knowledge and credentials in this area.

For more information and to register for the events, visit http://bit.ly/ctIJ. Early bird discounts are available for a limited time. Seats are limited to only 45 people per LZA boot camp, and ZapThink expects certain boot camp dates and locations to sell out.

Read more at: ZapThink Press Release