On Friday I got a call from a journalist who had a copy of someone’s IT spending survey. He had noticed that SOA spending was number 11 on the list so his question to me was; “Does this mean that SOA is fading as a requirement for IT organizations?” When I asked him what the top ten were and he told me, I had to chuckle (I often chuckle to myself when I hear stuff like this).

On the list were things like updating existing software packages, updating networks, business intelligence, and integration projects. So, guess what? I took two things away from this profound study—first, IT management is stuck in trying to fight fires and get things done based on the existing models—like upgrading that ERP system that runs the accounting function for the company and making sure that the bits flow through the pipes. Second, companies are looking at issues directly related to SOA—like integration and information management.

But most IT managers don’t really understand that SOA is an approach to things like integration and data management. They are still stuck in their morass of shoveling the coal. I am not saying that this is easy to change. It is hard and will take years to start thinking differently about software and packaged applications and integration. So, asking questions like; “Is SOA a spending priority?” without explaining what that is and how it impacts things like integration is sort of dumb… if you ask me.