RE: Proposed text on reliability in the web services architecture

> Mike Champion wrote:
> > Just recall that many of
> > the use cases for Web services include the integration of applications
> > that CANNOT be redesigned.  If you can debunk my mistaken assertions
> > that REST doesn't work for this use case, go for it.
>
> Without getting into the REST argument, think about most
> deployed ERP apps (excluding maybe the newest releases).
> They have no idea how to conduct an external conversation.
>
> For example, they assume that all incoming POs have been
> accepted by them, and all outgoing ones will be accepted
> by the vendors.

Last time I checked - but granted that was a very specific though widely
deployed ERP - they actually had a workflow there which circulated the PO
around to get approved, checked, etc. And the workflow did include several
points of interaction with the buyer around the same PO, and to me that
looked like a conversation. It looked as if given just SOAP you could
actually expose the entire conversation as a stateful Web service without
needing any mediation.

arkin

>
> So if you want to connect them to any notion of an external
> offer-acceptance interaction, whether REST or SOAP or
> otherwise, you will need a mediating layer of software
> to manage the external conversation.
>
> (I know people are putting the things directly on the Web
> here and there, but it won't last long.)
>
> My point is that regardless of external communication style,
> the legacy ERP app will need adapters and mediators,
> but will not need to be redesigned from the ground up.
>
> Am I missing something?
>

Received on Thursday, 9 January 2003 18:33:19 UTC