This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Christian Weyer. Original Post: Model Driven Architecture and [Services] Development Feed Title: Christian Weyer: Web Services & .NET Feed URL: http://www.asp.net/err404.htm?aspxerrorpath=/cweyer/Rss.aspx Feed Description: Philosophizing about and criticizing the brave new world ... Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Christian Weyer Latest Posts From Christian Weyer: Web Services & .NET

The CBDI Forum has a commentary which discusses the way Microsoft is taking in terms of modeling architecture and implemenatation of Service Oriented Architectures (based on Web services). This is an interesting read, especially as I have been playing with the there mentioned Whitehorse bits a few months ago (well, they are actually very raw currently - but expect to see a lot of cool and very prouctive tools grwoing!). They do not use UML, and as it seems won't use it in future (maybe a subset that makes 'sense ' to them and the CTS ...).

We note this week both Rational and Borland have indicated they will be responding to the Microsoft briefings. Borland is incorporating a model driven runtime platform in new architect editions of the Delphi 8 and C#Bulder for the .NET Framework. And IBM/Rational is announcing new features for its Rational Rapid Developer.        
       
But these announcements are simply noise. Since last week, there's a bigger game now playing. Microsoft has shown that it is encroaching on a space that until now it has left for the conventional modeling tools. It is not encroaching simply to increase its share of the pie, rather it is saying there really is a better way of doing this. In fact they might argue with some conviction, that the conventional model driven, or developer driven approaches will be inadequate for the complexities of the distributed web service world.        
       
What's also interesting is to look at how Microsoft have embedded the concept of Service deep down into their platform and tools. Concepts like Service and Contract are now foundational components, and they are able to move rapidly to do this because of the level of integration in their platform. You might say they will soon have a genuinely Service Oriented platform, which together with service oriented DSL's will be purpose designed to make sophisticated and complex Service design and deployment very straightforward.       
       
We must also consider the strategic perspective. The Microsoft spokesperson used the analogy with the early '90's when pioneering client/server developers needed high levels of skill to deliver what we now regard as pretty ordinary architectures. Within a very few years tools such as Visual Basic and Studio had raised the level of abstraction for developers and reduced the skill levels required to deliver sophisticated applications. What's happening right now is that Microsoft has indicated its intent to enter a marketplace and as has become customary, to deliver tools that will make complex problems soluble by mere mortals. The Model Driven or Based market has all of a sudden become MUCH more interesting, and we can anticipate a new wave of innovation in response to these moves.