More SOA

I'm digging deeper into this world because I have to come up with a few charts on WSRR -- Registry and Repository. As I read, and read some more, and follow hyperlinks hither and yonder, I'm coming to a conclusion about why I've been, and continue to be, somewhat confused by this:

There seems to be a tendency to conflate architecture with implementation; to conflate notions of development life cycles with runtime principles. It results in the initial impression that everything is vast in scale and complexity.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not saying there's no need to have an architecture, or to strive towards having some structure and management across the whole development and use life cycle. What I'm saying is that in wading through the various charts and white papers I'm seeing elements of each intermixed ... as if the distinction is obvious and no lines need be drawn.

Note: It may be me. It may simply be that I'm new to this and incapable of grasping the nuances. Or it may be that the conceptual model that I'm building in my mind is not yet complete. But once that's done I will see things more clearly through the prism of that framework. Uh oh, I've mixed metaphors.

WSRR is the implementatoin of the "Registry and Repository" function of an SOA. To me, my mind wants first to understand its role as part of the steady-state operations of a static SOA. Let me understand its role in helping service consumers in an SOA locate and understand available services, and then use them. After that concept is firmly in place, then move on to how the registry and repository can be used to aid early in the development cycle, or as a tool to be used in monitoring and measuring the SOA.

I truly am a slow learner. I get there, eventually, but not quickly.