It may not be as simple as the diagram would lead you to believe. The architects and developers may be pulling arrows out of their backs, according to David Linthicum, CEO of The Linthicum Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in service-oriented architecture.

Internecine warfare between enterprise architects and SOA developers can be added to the list of obstacles blocking the advance of SOA, joining a dearth of SOA architectural talent and lack of understanding/buy-in on the business side, he said.