Companies should adopt a service-orientated architecture approach to enable the swift integration of new technology and applications (apps) into the business and also improve the efficiency of legacy apps and services.

This approach changes business apps and programs from being necessary expenses to profitable business tools, says information technology (IT) services and software company In2IT MD Saurabh Kumar.

Service-orientated architecture uses a common enterprise service bus that unifies the services that exist in a company’s suite of apps. These existing services can then be used by other business func- tions and to support newer pro- cesses.

This type of architecture also provides companies with a structured way of using existing legacy programs and apps more efficiently.

“Large companies tend to have many apps, sometimes between 40 and 50 or more, and legacy systems and most of these apps are used for similar functionalities in separate business units, resulting in waste, as existing capabilities or functionalities are overlooked, underused or duplicated.

“Service-orientated architecture addresses the fundamentals of integration and enhances existing IT business processes. All business units, and even external contractors or clients, can then connect to this service bus and use the services, which are rules-defined, ensuring enterprise control over the use of services and apps.”

This collective app service becomes an enabler for companies, as there is a reduction in redundant apps and licences, and easy sharing of services and functionality across a business. It also allows for the easy management of apps and services, including internal- and external-facing apps, Kumar explains.

Implementing the architecture is inexpensive, but should be led by the CIO to ensure that IT employees adhere to its methods so that its benefits are realised.

“Small companies should embrace service-orientated architecture to ensure that they [are able to] quickly include new apps and new ways of doing business, as demanded by customers or business clients. Large enterprises should embrace it as best practice to improve app management and business value.”

The increase in data produced by industrial sensors and smart machines can also be addressed through the application of service-orientated architecture, providing companies with a single control method and the ability to apply security measures to potentially vulnerable systems.

The demands on businesses are constantly in flux and they can lose out on opportunities if they cannot change their in-house processes to capture opportunities.

Service-orientated architecture ensures that companies are ready to use cloud services and also continue providing seamless experience to the end-user, says Kumar.

“Service-orientated architec- ture is an approach that stream-lines businesses’ operations by having a consistent manner of using existing systems or services efficiently,” he concludes.