Earlier this week IBM announced a broad update of its service oriented architecture (SOA) product and solutions offerings. The product update includes tools to help companies get started with SOA (SOA Sandbox) as well as SOA Configurations for integration of legacy applications. Solution enhancements include updates to its component business modelling tool and a launch of what it calls 'globally integrated enterprise assessment'.

Comment: This is another salvo in IBM's constant and consistent marketing effort to promote SOA. IBM has invested hugely both in its SOA software and its service capability and has a massive amount of credibility at stake in the broad adoption of SOA, as the architectural approach of building and operating applications.