Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a software development model for distributed application components that includes discovery, access control, data mapping and security features.

SOA has two major functions.

• create a broad architectural model that defines the goals of applications and the approaches that will help meet those goals.

• to define specific implementation specifications, usually linked to the formal Web Services Description Language (WSDL) and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) specifications.

There are three major objectives of SOA, all which focus on a different part of the application lifecycle.

• to structure procedures or software components as services.

• to provide a mechanism for publishing available services, which includes their functionality and input/output requirements.

• to control the use of these services to avoid security and governance problems.