For several years we've been working with other industry experts on the WS-CDL specification as well as utilizing an implementation of the principles it represents. One way of thinking about what this work brings is that it turns the art of developing reliable and correct distributed systems into a science. As discussed a couple of years ago back on InfoQ, it can be likened to the industrialisation of IT. One of the principle co-authors of the CDL specification has written quite a bit about the benefits (often significant) of testable architecture to a range of clients he's been working for over the years. (There's even a pretty nice short video presentation.)

Originally this work was being done under the Overlord project, but about a year ago we decided that it made more sense to separate this out into a separate project, Savara. The aims remain the same, but the scope is no longer just SOA governance. Testable architecture (and WS-CDL) has a lot to say about workflow systems (choreographies, after all), and BPMN 2. In fact, I remain surprised and disappointed in equal measure that the other major players in SOA and BPM continue to push tools and methodologies that remain closer to black art than 21st Century science. However, this hasn't prevented a lot of people and companies being interested in what we're doing collaboratively. And the next major milestone has just been reached with the announcement of the first release of Savara! If you aren't monitoring this effort then you should be.