How TrueCredit Utilizes SOA to Build Fast, Reliable Applications

The following are the answers to the Mini-Case 2-2 about TrueCredit's implementation of SOA:

First of all, a definition of SOA is necessary to understand this case:

• SOA-Stands for Service-Oriented Architecture and is an architechtural concept that defines the use of services to support a variety of business needs. The idea is to reuse and reconnect existing IT assets rather than the more time consuming and costly development of making a new system.

1. This company used SOA mainly because of the time savings SOA provides to assemble new applications. Management needed new applications in less than 90 days and typical software development used to take 180 days. TrueCredit also wanted to take advantage of the other benefits SOA provides such as leveraging existing IT investments, reduced integration cost, lower IT maintenance cost, and improved business/IT alignment.
2. Implementing SOA allowed the company the ability to reuse applications, rather than filling out new ones which has furthered its competitive advantage. TrueCredit was a pioneer in applying SOA so the company was able to experience a degree of first mover advantage. The company was able to quickly and easily collect and analyze data from multiple sources, enabling TrueCredit to serve up to 50,000 users simultaneously.
3. The specific services that can be identified in this business would include offering consumers credit reporting, credit scoring, and related financial services on its own as well as partners' sites.
4. It is vital that this company be able to simultaneously server 50,000 users because of the nature of the Internet itself. During peak usage hours, TrueCredit needs to make sure that the site can accomodate the maximum amount of users so that potential customers are not lost because they were frustrated with the site working improperly or operating very slowly.
5. SOA can best be classified as an Intereorganizational System (IOSs) which connect two or more organizations. The fact that customers can access partners' Web sites is a prime example of the interrelatedness that SOA provides. Another classification of SOA would include Transaction Processing System (TPS) because of the repetitive nature of the company's process.