SOA with .NET (The Prentice Hall Service-Oriented Computing Series from Thomas Erl)

**** The book "SOA with .NET," part of the Prentice Hall Service-Oriented Computing Series by Thomas Erl, attempts to explore the intersection of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and the .NET framework. However, customer reception signals a disappointment across various facets of its content. Readers noted that while the book covers a wide range of important topics, including Microsoft products and principles related to SOA, it does not delve deeply enough into practical applications or concrete examples. Many reviewers express that the initial portions of the book are excessively introductory, offering a superficial overview of SOA and its associated technologies, such as Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Workflow Foundation (WF). This extensive introduction – nearly a quarter of the book – is perceived as unnecessary for established professionals, while newcomers might find it skims over essential complexities. A thorough understanding of these technologies is deemed crucial before tackling the material presented in the book. The book fails to provide enough hands-on examples or case studies for the SOA patterns discussed, rendering much of its patterns presentation weak and unhelpful. Reviewers lamented inConsistent examples, overwhelming figures, and reiterative content that barely added to the core discussion. While there are a few chapters lauded for their insight—the best being the one on optimizations—the overall execution is criticized for lacking depth. In conclusion, while "SOA with .NET" might serve as a very high-level overview for those with limited prior knowledge, readers developing real-world SOA applications with the .NET framework may find it lacking in practical guidance and specificity. There are recommendations for alternative resources, such as Juval Lowy’s works, that appear to offer more structured and comprehensive guidance tailored to developers seeking to utilize SOA effectively. **