Web-oriented architecture (WOA), a term introduced by Gartner in 2006, combines service-oriented architecture (SOA) with the principles of REST. WOA enables diverse industries to adopt scalable, API-centric solutions, as demonstrated through case studies of StubHub, Trimble, and Al-Elam, each addressing distinct challenges and leveraging WOA for improved performance and user experience. Understanding WOA is crucial for organizations looking to innovate and remain competitive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

1. Web-Oriented Architecture
(WOA)
Senaka Fernando
Solutions Architect, WSO2 UK

2. Outline
2
§ What is Web Oriented Architecture
§ Why does it matter to me?
§ How can I use this?
§ Some Real Examples
§ Summary, Q&A

3. What is Web Oriented Architecture
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§ A term coined by Nicholas Gall of Gartner, VP
Distinguished Analyst in 2006
§ See https://www.gartner.com/doc/797713.
§ WOA == SOA + WWW + REST
§ Service Oriented Architecture
§ Everything on the Internet
§ Everything based on REST
§ In other words it is the world’s most commonly
used architecture today by far.

4. Why does it matter to me?
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§ The Gartner Prediction
§ By 2014, WOA (REST)-style
services will be in use in
80% of organizations
pursuing SOA
§ True? Well it doesn’t really
matter, because anyone
needs to know WOA.
Image: http://embassy730.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MoRuf-Rest-Well-Video.jpg

5. Why does it matter to me?
5
§ You can’t just do REST from SOAP or SOAP
from REST.
§ Its not just a matter of transformation
§ So, what’s the deal with these ESBs and API
Managers?
§ No use? J

6. Why does it matter to me?
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§ Now why did I say that?
§ SOAP is a flat structure
§ REST is a hierarchical structure

7. 7
Image: http://www.bennadel.com/resources/uploads/soap_xml_api.gif

8. 8
Image: http://i.stack.imgur.com/1CAFF.png

9. Why does it matter to me?
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§ Confusion…!!!
§ XML is hierarchical too right? What are you
telling me now?

10. Why does it matter to me?
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§ XML is hierarchical, but XML != SOAP
§ You can serve XML on REST too BTW.
§ When I said hierarchical, I meant something else
§ Every time you invoke a SOAP service, you
invoke it using a Service Name and a Method
Name (or you pass an Action)
§ In REST, your API is technically endless, but
only if you get it right
§ So, no clear mapping

11. Why does it matter to me?
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§ Need more complication?
§ Fine, add it to it everything WWW.
§ How is this complicated?
§ Simple, J
§ How can you build a SOAP back-end for a
Fileserver?

12. Why does it matter to me?
12
§ Do you really need that? No.
§ That’s why WOA matters to you. Its about a
world of coexistence.

13. How can I use this?
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§ There are many examples.
§ Banks
§ Education
§ Retail Industry
§ Transportation Industry
§ OK, any industry has an example, J.

14. How can I use this?
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§ So, lets take something fairly complex to learn
this. Like an IoT Architecture for a Street.

15. How can I use this?
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§ Or something that works all over the place. In
my office, at my home, on the road, …

16. Some Real Examples
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17. Case Study: StubHub – Managing high
volumes of data for viral businesses
StubHub needed an API centric
architecture to become the
worldwide destination for an end-
to-end experience for fans
Product
Product
Challenge
• StubHub was missing out on potential channel of new business
revenue with a looming competitive threat from industry peers and
newcomers
• The solution demanded the development of an API economy
strategy, and re-architecting a running business
• There was a need for a scalable system, which while handling high
volumes of data, also has the ability to constantly evolve as an agile
system
• It had to not only be a product, but a platform that can leverage
broad third-party developers and businesses to thrive
Solution
• A high performance and scalable API management solutions system
that can handle high volumes of traffic
• A simple lifecycle model that can be customized and extended to
align with the company’s API strategies
• WSO2’s integration suite not only exposes existing capabilities, but
helps to deploy new systems to maximize value, analyze, results,
etc.

18. Case Study: Trimble - Transforming the way the world
works through innovative solutions for various industries
Trimble was looking for a
connected platform to link many
stakeholders via complete
centralization
Product
Solution
• A centralized Trimble Platform as a Service (TPaaS), consisting
of various components available as a service including identity,
auditing, transformation and routing
• Each division, partner and dealer is a tenant in the multi-
tenanted platform.
• Each division has autonomy in creating flexible solutions that
use the TPaaS components under their specific tenants.
Challenge
• Trimble has a large number of divisions that cater to various
verticals
• Each division has its own set of applications and customers,
resulting in a diverse set of applications and technologies
• A unified mechanism was required to service dealers, partners
and customers of Trimble, whilst increasing division autonomy,
technology management and reducing time to market

19. Case Study: Al-ELM – Managing Identities and
Ensuring Secure Online Transactions
Al-ELM was looking to implement
a system that would streamline
administration, improve
productivity, and reduce costs
Product
Challenge
• The growth of the Unemployment Assistance Program; the original
project covered one program that enabled unemployed citizens to
submit their requests
• The Saudi government expanded the services to include several
programs, which prompted the need to streamline administration to
manage 4 million user identities
Solution
• The WSO2 Identity Server proved to be the most flexible and
customizable solution for ELM
• Since implementing single sign-on (SSO) through WSO2 Identity
Server, ELM has been able to significantly streamline the
administration of user identities, as well as improve overall user
experience
The benefits also include improved productivity, increased security,
centralized management, and reduced cost
• In production since April 2013, the program SSO system manages
about 4 million users with 2,000 login requests per second

20. Summary, Q&A
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