There really is only two ways to integrate a companies applications:
- Custom coding
- Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)Tools
Custom Coding
The default for any small or midsized organisation facing an integration project between large numbers of applications is to write the data transformation and mapping code from scratch using Java or .Net based languages.
However, writing custom code may create problems like:
- Code reusability
- Visibility into structure of the integration transactions
- Scalability, robustness and flexibility
- The cost effectiveness of the time required
- And the creation of code problems that are difficult to manage
EAI
Today’s Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) software, in particularly Microsoft’s BizTalk 2009 not only delivers application integration but can also automate interactions across multiple applications within an organisation. Moreover it does so irrespective of the platform and the underlying software.
Originally EAI was limited in scope to tying together disparate data systems. Today, EAI also ties together applications, systems, and business processes within the organisation and between organisations. And it can be down at a price that is no longer cost-prohibitive for small and midsize organisations. This is most readily visible when looking at Microsoft’s BizTalk 2009.
Organisations have found that using Microsoft’s BizTalk a good approach for addressing complex, business process initiatives such as BPM (business process management), BAM (business activity monitoring) and an enterprise backbone.
The Answer
Yes middleware, and particularly Microsoft’s BizTalk 2009, is the integration solution for small and midsize organisations.