IBM announced new and enhanced tools, programs, and incentives to support and accelerate the success of its <A HREF="http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/22472.wss">Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Business Partner community</A> of consultants, integrators, and resellers.

Since the introduction of its SOA Business Partner programs in June 2005, IBM has also realized significant milestones in the growth and success of its community of SOA Business Partners. The IBM SOA Community, which began with 50 Business Partners, has grown to more than 4,200 members. Additionally, the SOA Business Catalog, which initially included less than 300 reusable Web services in June 2006, now features more than 4,600 services, over 74 percent of which are contributed by IBM Business Partners. The SOA Business Catalog is a comprehensive online directory featuring a combination of software code, intellectual property and best practices that solve specific business problems. The IBM SOA Business Partner offerings provide partners with the tools and resources to further develop the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience that will contribute to the success of their customers on their SOA journey.