Web Services Management

It isn’t the first time management software has lagged behind the product its supposed to manage—just ask the early server and mainframe administrators. While the open-environment concepts of Web services and service-oriented architectures have gained popularity in recent years, organizations have been slower to adopt third-party tools to manage their performance.

The technology managers who have, however, are finding real results, whether in saved man hours or improved time to market. But the lazy need not apply: working with Web services management requires serious planning—and an even more serious understanding of your organization’s business strategy.

Lead Story
For Shared Apps, a Private Eye
Too many companies jump into Web services without taking the proper precautions to oversee their traffic. Read about how a few technology managers have navigated the waters, and what advice other experts have for those about to get their feet wet.

Company Profiles
Actional: People Power
AmberPoint: An Eye Inside
WebMethods: Staying the Course?

Also:
Voice of Experience: H&R Block Financial Advisors’ Scott Thompson
Vendors can offer the world, but can their products walk the walk? Find out what this technical architect found when he put one vendor to the test.

QUESTION: When planning to create Web services, did your organization implement management tools right away? If not, how long did you wait? Did you encounter any issues in between? Write to us at [email protected].