Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) isn't a technical Architecture. SOA is a paradigm, a solution approach that leads to an architecture.
See
Web services and SOA and
Definition of SOA.
In that sense SOA can only really be described as a "mental framework", not an "implementation framework". Vendors will often offer a product as an "SOA framework" but in fact its just an elaborate toolbox that will allow you to implement your own architecture. How effectively your architecture actually realizes service-oriented principles is still dependent on your own understanding of SOA and competence in SOA. An "SOA framework" can reduce the implementation effort but they are far from being able to guide you to the "right" architecture.
Just because you are using
Java doesn't guarantee that your application is "object-oriented"; similarly using an "SOA framework" doesn't guarantee that your implemented architecture is "service-oriented".
[ April 15, 2008: Message edited by: Peer Reynders ]