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The verge of enterprises cannot be stopped and shouldn’t be stopped at any rate! And this definitely calls for the development of relevant enterprise applications. A business never works on its own, you need a wide range of tools, technologies and softwares to make things work for you! For example an accounting software or a software that manages customer relations, data analytics and whatnot! Now, do you think developing this softwares is enough? Of course, not!
Imagine recently you have commenced a business, let’s say a restaurant. Of course, there will be a need to hire a few chefs who can create lip-smacking meals, apart from that a professional carrying expertise in finance, a few assistants who take care of ingredients, some performers and the list goes on! Now the success of your restaurant will only depend if all of them collaborate well! To be precise, if the chef’s food don’t get along with the music, then things won’t work. Vibing with your customers will be something next to impossible. Similarly, even in business one must be able to collaborate with different sets of tools and technologies in such a way that it leads to fruitful results. And this is when we require Enterprise Application Integration.
The following post emphasizes on what is Enterprise Application Integration and certain crucial models to take into account.
What is an Enterprise Application Integration?
Enterprise application integration (EAI) is the process of integrating software solutions. Not just software solutions but even hardware located within the enterprise. All this is done using application of technology and other relevant resources. No wonder, these programs have been implemented widely across the globe.
It is more or less kind of middleware technology including web application integration, system structure, data incorporation, and several other business operations.
As mentioned above to establish a successful business, several front offices and back-office functions are supposed to be managed seamlessly. Most businesses have opted for a plethora of tools and technologies and softwares. However, to make things work in a seamless manner. Considering enterprise application integration seems the only option left. Unlike humans, enterprise applications don’t tend to communicate automatically. And since they aren’t configured to work with each other you have to play the role of a cupid and make things work.
So in simple words, Enterprise application integration is said when all the technologies and softwares are able to integrate seamlessly throughout the organization. What is the main objective behind EAI?
- To ensure that there is a consistent flow of data
- Business policies don’t have to be re-implemented again and again
- Transparency can be found in the information offered
- Everything needs to be streamlined
- Easy maintenance
Further below let us focus on certain benefits of using enterprise application integration.
#1 Easy Sharing
As mentioned earlier, softwares aren’t humans they are not supposed to share information by themselves. In fact, we have to make them do it also in a precise manner. The data when shared accurately can create wonders in many ways. And here Enterprise application integration does a good job. It ensures that the data flows in the right manner.
Did you know that by establishing enterprise application integration, users can access their respective data in single access? This definitely saves lots and lots of time as they no longer have to seek for it! So, looking for effective collaboration? Enterprise application integration must be taken into account.
#2 Multiple opportunities can be created
In the present scenario, the opportunities are endless and failing to realize them in the nick of time means you have a lot to lose. In fact, many businesses are found going bankrupt just because they lack in regards to softwares and technologies.
Here enterprise application integration can come as a quick rescue! It won’t just make things work in a seamless manner but also ensure that your business won’t miss any opportunity. Several situations such as addressing marketing policies and managing issues can be well taken care of. Basically, everything comes under your control.
#3 Improves Efficiency
Another crucial advantage offered by enterprise application integration is that they streamline communication which eventually results in the reduction of time and energy. Software featuring better functionality can surely result in increased productivity and efficiency. Not to mention that businesses can adapt to changing market trends in no time.
Not just as a whole, but enterprise application integration can definitely assist in enhancing performance on an individual basis.
Further below are some common applications to keep your tabs on:
- Supply chain management
- Customer relationship management
- Human Resources
- eCommerce
- Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Enterprise Resource Planning
Models of Enterprise Application Integration
Point-to-point Integration
One of the core models to keep in mind when considering enterprise application integration is the point to point integration. Here what happens is a custom code is used to connect two apps together. It’s all about building a point-to-point integration using different coding languages. When to use Point-to-point integration?
- When one don’t wants to invest much time and resources
- When one wants to come up with manageable things for your team, you don’t need highly-trained experts here.
- When one needs to obtain significant growth.
What exactly happens here is, that a script is used to extract, translate and transfer data from one place to another. Point-to-point integration is considered highly relevant, especially when conducting small operations. One of the crucial drawbacks of this enterprise application integration model is that it is pretty time-consuming and hard to maintain.
Middleware
The main objective behind this enterprise application integration is that it ensures to make the development process go seamless and hassle-free. One of the core aspects of your business, i.e. your customers cannot be ignored. Not to mention that day by day their expectations seem to be rising fanatically. Middleware is one such model that acts as a plain bridge to ensure strong bonding between apps, softwares, and databases so that end-users won’t suffer in the end.
Some of the crucial benefits of using Middleware as an enterprise integration model include:
- Get rid of lengthy and long coding
- Innovative solutions
- Extend the app
- Scalability and flexibility
- Updations and new versions keep on coming
Slowing down or being disconnected is one of the frustrating endeavours, middleware has the potential to fix such problems in no time. Application programming interface, application server, content-centric middleware,data integration, Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM), robotic middleware, Transaction Processing (TP), Object Request Broker (ORB) and the list goes on!
Hub-and-Spoke Integration
This is one such enterprise application integration that offers a plethora of benefits ranging from reducing the liability of scaling your business, increasing the growth, maximizing the ROI, etc.
Every business owner struggles at a point for streamlining work procedures. Of course, we have linear point-to-point models which might work for some industries and not for others. Who knows the Hub-and-spoke integration might work wonders for you!
This one is basically a distribution model where a centralized hub exists. Now what happens is everything is sent to the hub so that it can be further distributed among the customers. One of the obvious benefits of using the Hub-and-spoke model is that it is extremely easy to understand and the transportation cost is extremely low in comparison
Did you know that social media management tools can act as centralized hubs? Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, all these sites can be used as a central hub to conduct all the marketing or project management tasks. Do you think it is just limited to distribution? Of course not! Several social media sites can be used to monitor brand mentions and conduct relevant analytics.
So yes, this enterprise application integration model offers way more than you think.
Micro services
Microservices models are used very often since these are the ones that make the most of the cloud-based applications. By utilizing the application program interface, several companies can circulate data via a local server. Some of the core benefits offered by microservices include:
- Enhanced scalability
- Better data security
- Faster time to market and future-proofing
- DevOps
- High Business Agility
- Enhances work efficiency
- Teams are easy to manage
- Focus on core competencies
So whether it’s the storefront or ordering, accounting services, product catalogue, tracking inventories, reviews, or reducing shopping cart abandonment, all these aspects can be well taken care of.
Bus Integration
Have you heard of Enterprise Bus Service before? It is basically a middle layer communication tool that seems to have evolved over all these years. This one is more like a hub-and-spoke model but the only difference lies that the model uses a centralized hub whereas bus integration uses integration within each separate application. Some of its core benefits include:
- Plugging in and out of an application is easy
- It is easy to connect one system to another
- Establishing seamless communication and integration is possible
- ESB can be managed centrally
- Highly secured and configured
Final Words
And this is it for now! We have concluded that every enterprise application integration model mentioned here is one of a kind. Choosing the right one certainly depends on your needs, so choose wisely!