Salesforce.com last week introduced a new service that uses service-oriented architecture technology to ease the process of integrating third-party applications with its hosted customer relationship management software.

The new Salesforce SOA tool, which adds the integration technology to the company's proprietary Apex programming language, is the latest in a series of Salesforce.com products aimed at helping users link its software with applications from other vendors.

For example, over the past couple of years, the company has brought out packaged links to applications from Oracle Corp., SAP AG, Microsoft Corp. and IBM.
In addition, Salesforce.com partners are selling 32 packaged links to other applications on the Salesforce.com AppExchange online software marketplace, noted Ariel Kelman, senior director of platform product marketing at the San Francisco-based vendor.

Executive vice president Parker Harris cited a study from the Aberdeen Group that said 77 percent of companies surveyed have yet to see a payback for their SOA investment. Harris blamed traditional software vendors like SAP, Oracle and Microsoft, for the problem.

IT managers said the SOA technology may help in the long term but is coming out far too late to help their companies immediately.

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Tags: soa - salesforce.com - saas

Prashanth Rai