Which term provides a framework for building software by exposing services with a single purpose?

• A. Enterprise Service Bus
• B. Service-Oriented Architecture
• C. Data Life Cycle
• D. Configuration Management Database

Answer: (B)

Exposing discrete services that each have a single function and can be combined to form complete applications defines how this approach structures software. This is Service-Oriented Architecture, which treats a system as a collection of interoperable services with well-defined interfaces. The key idea is that each service has a narrow, clear purpose, enabling loose coupling, reuse, and easy orchestration across different platforms and technologies. Services communicate through standardized protocols and contracts, so they can be discovered, composed, and managed independently.

Understanding why this fits better than the others helps solidify the concept: an Enterprise Service Bus is middleware that facilitates message exchange between services, but it doesn’t by itself define the architectural model; a Data Life Cycle focuses on how data is managed over time; a Configuration Management Database stores information about IT assets. The architectural pattern described—how software is built around single-purpose services and their interactions—is Service-Oriented Architecture.