Perfect Integration 12 – the dont’s
I changed my mind and decided to end this series with positive do’s, so this is the dont’s one. Then again reserving no. 13 for the dont’s was a superstitious move anyway, and as I’m neither religious nor superstitious (they usually travel in pairs), it’s better this way. This post is about debunking TLA’s and [...]
Perfect Integration 11 – Orchestration
I’ve compared the diversity of an IT application landscape and managing its information exchange in a uniform way to translation, with the European Parliament as a perfect example of translating dozens of languages via three intermediate languages. In IT, we only need one, as languages (syntaxes) there are far less complex than in the linguistic [...]
Perfect Integration 10 – the missing link: envelope
With a common language, a common transport protocol, and the need to exercise the necessary translation and transformation on both levels in between, there is a growing need to be able to identify all “service requests” on a generic level too. Numerous and various requests will be made, in different formats, via different transport protocols. [...]
Perfect Integration 9 – history with hindsight
In the previous post, the history of Integration passed: point-to-point, EAI and ESB. For those who read and grasped post 1 through 7, it’ll be clear why I favour which one – but let me explain it in more detail. What are the differences between the different historical approaches? The crucial difference is that EAI [...]
Perfect Integration 7 – information exchange: transportation
After creating and or choosing a common or generic format to exchange the information, there is one other field to explore: the facilitation of various communication protocols through which this information can be transported. What applies to messages, also applies to transport: a common language is to be advised as “main artery” for all the [...]
Perfect Integration 6 – Common language: syntaxes
In the previous posts I explained semantics, syntax, and the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to get from diverse IT applications to one uniform business language. This post will take a deep dive into message formats such as Flat file, EDIFACT, XML and JSON. Ever wondered about the pros and cons of XML? JSON? What [...]
Perfect Integration 5 – Common language: indirect translation
Number 5 in the series, this post is about indirect translation, in contrast with the direct translation shown in the previous post, which came with costly, exponential dependencies. When looking towards large-scale use of translators, e.g. the European Committee in Brussels, it is easily observed how these dependencies can be greatly reduced: all languages are [...]
Perfect Integration 3 – Common language: semantics first
This post will elaborate on messaging and transformation (part I), and explain how information exchange works in the daily world, considering simple or complex information exchanges. That will then be related to IT, and the basic ways of “writing down” information in IT will be explained. If you want to have a chat with someone [...]
Perfect Integration 2 – Common subset and transformation
Number two in the series, this post deals with the common subset found on all levels in the previous post: what is the shared interest (Business) which information do you want to share (Information) which definitions are mutually exchangeable (Information Systems) how do you want to exchange ideas (Infrastructure) Information exchange form: messaging After having [...]
Perfect Integration 1 – Architectural Approach
First post in a series of 5-10, I will release all my views and opinions on the Art of Integration. I challenge you to disagree, and bash me with arguments and reasoning. Feel free to shoot from the hip and aim at the heart, anything goes really. I am absolutely convinced that I am right [...]
The False Promise of "Adopt now, and all will adapt"
It’s the most widespread lie across IT. Translated from seller to buyer, it says: just buy our stuff, it’s great, pretty soon everyone will have it and then you’ll have the advantage over all the others. It’s how hypes made it in, trends, useful stuff too, but also ERP and CRM trying to take the [...]
