In a recent survey, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) was cited by 87% of CIOs as ‘the next big thing’ in enterprise software.

A Service Oriented Architecture enables IT professionals to design flexible systems that can be adapted rapidly to meet a company’s changing business needs and priorities. Implementing a solution architecture based upon service orientation helps organizations plan ahead for change, rather than responding reactively.

This Microsoft whitepaper outlines practical tips to get started with SOA and runs through its SOA-friendly technologies.