Sun Microsystems is developing SOA (service-oriented
architecture) technology being called "Project Kitty
Hawk".
The effort will involve enhancing the basic Sun Java Enterprise
System server-based middleware platform to more seamlessly
integrate Web services into SOAs, according to Jonathan Schwartz,
president and chief operating officer of Sun.
SOAs generally involve loosely coupling applications and data
through the use of web services, allowing for easily modifiable IT
architectures.
Project Kitty Hawk will be delivered during an 18-month time
period, beginning with a professional services component being
unveiled Monday, said John Loiacono, Sun executive vice president
for software. Called SOA Readiness Assessment, the professional
services offering involves assessing where a customer stands with
SOA technology and needs to go to accommodate it, according to
Loiacono.
As part of Kitty Hawk, Java Enterprise System is intended to
simplify administration, management, security and provisioning of
services in an SOA. For example, a Java Enterprise System registry
will provide centralised control of services, versioning, metadata
management, services registration and lookup. Featured components
in Java Enterprise System are identity services, Web and
application services, portal, communication and collaboration,
availability services, and security.
Paul Krill writes for Infoworld
