Two fly high with SOA

By Sandra Gittlen

Contributing Writer, Network World |

Two app successes: MedicAlert Foundation and Aeroplan.

Applications

Enterprise All-Stars

Guide to the '06 All-Stars

Winners alphabetical listing

WINNERS BY TECHNOLOGY

WINNERS BY INDUSTRY

Vendors to the All-Stars

MedicAlert Foundation

Stringent SOA practices.

MedicAlert Foundation, a Turlock, Calif., provider of medical information for the healthcare community, overhauled its data network, abandoning its FTP infrastructure in favor of a .Net and SOA framework. Started in April 2005, the project features AmberPoint's AmberPoint 5.0 for governance and security; Microsoft's BizTalk Server 2004 for process integration and as a rules engine; and Forum Systems' suite of security tools. MedicAlert has used the architecture to roll out its E-HealthKEY service, which lets users carry and manage their health information from a USB device.

Aeroplan

Flying with a secure SOA.

Montreal-based Aeroplan, a majority-owned subsidiary of ACE Aviation Holdings, recently unveiled a multiyear vision - to enhance its 5 million member loyalty program by offering real-time reward redemption that is not travel-related. To support this initiative, in 2004 Aeroplan began an SOA rollout that features Reactivity's XML Security Gateway appliances and lets the company add partners - even those with legacy systems - to the Aeroplan network within two hours. The appliances connect to Aeroplan's mainframe and MQ Series infrastructure without needing significant configuration changes. With this XML-enabled architecture, Aeroplan says it quickly recouped its investment (an undisclosed amount) and projects a 500% increase in the redemption rewards business for 2007.

"[SOA] governance is a serious challenge and we needed to focus on solving the business problem and leave the management issues to the experts."

- Jorge Mercado, senior engineer, MedicAlert Foundation

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