Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a business-centric IT architectural approach that supports integrating your business as linked, repeatable business tasks, or services. It is an innovative approach to enterprise application integration that increases the benefits of Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) by means of standardizing the application interfaces. It separates functions into distinct units, or services, which are accessible to users over a network so they can be combined and reused in the production of new or enhanced applications

SOA is a complex architecture model that requires significant understanding, planning and careful coordination of resources and processes to achieve the flexible matrix of discrete, reusable services that are envisioned to significantly enhance organizational and technical flexibility, improve productivity, and assure corporate and technical alignment from top-to-bottom and back-to-front.