An exploratory survey on SOA knowledge, adoption and trend in the Italian industry

The main aim of this work is investigating the level of knowledge and diffusion of SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) in the Italian industry. We are also interested to understand what is the trend of SOA (positive or negative?) and what are the methods, technologies and tools really used in the industry. We carried out a personal opinion survey receiving 159 answers by Italian software professionals in two different rounds (2008 and 2011). The data were collected with the help of self-administered Internet questionnaires. The findings suggest that SOA is a relevant phenomenon in the Italian industry, it is well-known (and used enough) and the same is true for its key components (Web services and RESTFul services). On the contrary, orchestration languages and UDDI seem little known and used. Currently, the adoption of SOA is medium with a perceived trend that is more stable than positive (but surely not negative).