What does service-oriented architecture actually mean? Find out inside PCMag's comprehensive tech and computer-related encyclopedia.

The "A" in SOA means architecture, but some say it should also be something more tangible.

SOA principles can (and should) be applied not only to the services that compose a service-oriented business architecture, but also to the services that compose a service-oriented security ...

Confused about the myriad definitions of SOA? The first thing you need to know is that it's an architecture. But don't forget that there's more to architecture than a blueprint.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is built around a collection of loosely coupled services that communicate among each other. The reusable services have well-defined, platform-independent interfaces ...

The future of software is service-oriented architecture, according to Charles Stack, president of Flashline.

IBM's director of WebSphere infrastructure software, Bob Sutor, lays out his company's service-oriented architecture strategy.

And that's where Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) comes in. SOA specifies IT systems as loosely coupled sets of services. Processing an employee expense report is one such service.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) makes it possible for human services agencies to achieve cost savings, time savings and the flexibility to make legacy systems work for the agency, not against it.

Before you can see what's wrong with SOA someone needs to define what SOA is. There's too much confusion surrounding SOA, and that is the beginning of what's wrong with SOA.