Why SunGard does not base their SOA on a specific vendor
SunGard stresses platform-agnostic service virtualization, which allows for more flexible deployment options and permits the most cost effective configuration without custom coding. The alternative is to base everything on a specific SOA vendor’s infrastructure. SunGard’s customers continuously clamor for agility, so an agnostic approach is the preferred path.
Three years ago, we identified the features we needed in an SOA in order to support the breadth of applications we offer. We established standards for their use, ad process to allow the standards to live and a reference implementation comprised of best-of-breed components (internal to SunGard as well as external) that addressed our requirements. Supporting the process and servicing the reference implementation, we established support infrastructure including repositories for code, documentation, forums, various trackers and an index of services. We call it the CSA, or Common Services Architecture.