Web 2.0 versus SOA: Converging Concepts Enabling Seamless Cross-Organizational Collaboration

A new type of Web-based applications such as interactive encyclopedias, Blogs and Mash-ups has been gaining momentum during the last years and is frequently referred to as Web 2.0. A topic that has experienced a lot of interest recently is the relationship between Web 2.0 and Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs). The notion of complexity-hiding and reuse, but also the concept of loosely coupling different services has inspired the scientific community to elaborate on similarities between the two concepts Web 2.0 and SOA. In this work, we thoroughly examine and contrast them from a technical and economic perspective to reveal discrepancies and similarities and conclude with the vision of an Internet of Services that leverages technologies and design principles from both concepts. Based on case-studies we draw a picture of this upcoming generation of the Internet and conclude with a first analysis of its significant implications on cross-organizational collaboration.