What is an example of an SOA environment?

An example of a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) environment is represented by Amazon.com's operation of various services delivered by different application servers. SOA is a design pattern in software development where different services are provided to the other components by application components, through a communication protocol over a network. In this context, Amazon.com uses a distributed approach where its various services, such as product search, order processing, and payment handling, can run independently across different application servers. This modular structure allows for better scalability, flexibility, and the ability to integrate with various services seamlessly.

In comparison, the other examples do not exemplify SOA principles as clearly. The use of lower-cost Linux servers by E*Trade speaks more to cost-efficiency and performance optimization rather than the integration and inter-service communication that characterizes SOA. Similarly, Thermos's use of hosted Oracle systems software suggests a reliance on a specific software suite rather than a collection of independently operating services. Thus, Amazon.com best illustrates the essence of SOA with its multiple, interconnected services functioning as part of a larger ecosystem.