Cautious Web Services Software Adoption Continues, Says IDCCautious Web Services Software Adoption Continues, Says IDC

According to IDC's recently released study "Worldwide Web Services Software Forecast, 2004-2008: Cautious Adoption Continues," worldwide spending on software in support of Web services-based projects will reach $11 billion by 2008, compared to $1.1 billion achieved in 2003. Driven by the desire to reduce costs, this technology is moving to the forefront of most IT department strategies as a critical option for solving integration issues. Many organizations are also looking to capitalize on what services-based technology offers to address future application needs.

"The industry is entering a critical stage in the acceptance and support for higher levels of Web services standards and technologies. The market-at-large is embracing the concept of services-oriented architecture (SOA) to such a degree that it could inevitably leave a mark on IT environments for many years to come," said Sandra Rogers, director for Web Services Software and Integration at IDC.

However, IDC cautions that realistic expectations are warranted regarding the rate and scale of uptake of enterprises creating robust services-oriented architectures. Rogers added, "The confluence of available technology, skills, and reference use cases is needed and will take time to evolve. Users and vendors alike must acknowledge and support an environment that allows for phased change versus 'big bang' or holistic architectural overhaul activities. The ability of vendors to support and help businesses transform multiple generations of Web services and XML-based systems will be vital."