Integration Challenges

Transcription

1 Integration Challenges Christoph Hartmann SMESA Team Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 1

2 There is no simple answer for enterprise integration In our opinion, anyone who claims that integration is easy must be incredibly smart ( or at least a good bit smarter than the rest of us), incredibly ignorant (okay, let s say optimistic), or have a financial interest in making you believe that integration is easy. Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 2

3 Agenda Need for integration Distributed application vs. integrated application Fundamental and integration challenges Messaging Common integration scenarios Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 3

4 Distributed application vs. integrated application Distributed application Tightly coupled Depend direct on each other (dependences between layers) Communication tends to be synchronous In most cases used by human users Integrated applications Independent applications Coordinate in a loosely coupled way Use asynchronous communication Can proceed without response Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 4

5 Fundamental and Integration Challenges Networks are unreliable Networks are slow Any two applications are different Change is inevitable Software has to map the enterprise communication structure Far-reaching implications Change of legacy systems is not possible in most cases Only a few standards (XML, XSL, Web Services) XML exchange standardizes the syntactic elements EAI integration is a complex task Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 5

6 Four main approaches File transfer Shared database Remote procedure invocation Messaging Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 6

7 Messaging Typically integrated in middleware-platforms Called (message-orientated middleware) Main task: Move message from one computer to another Computer networks are connect in a unreliable way Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 7

8 Main steps: Create Send Deliver Receive Process Important messaging concepts Send and forget Store and forward Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 8

9 Benefits of messaging Remote communication Platform/language integration Asynchronous communication Variable timing Throttling Reliable communication Disconnected operation Mediation Thread management Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 9

10 Challenges of asynchronous messaging Complex programming model Sequence issues Synchronous scenarios Performance Limited platform support Vendor lock-in Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 10

11 Commercial Messaging Systems Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Oracle AQ Sun JMS (in combination with JEE AS) IBM WebSphere MQ MS Biztalk TIBCO WebMethods Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 11

12 Common integration scenarios Information portals Data replication Shared business functions Service-orientated architectures Distributed business process Business-to-business integration Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 12

13 Information portals User has to access more than one system to fulfill a task E.g. verify status order and customer representative Aggregate information from different sources Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 13

14 Data replication Redundant data Same date is needed in different applications E.g. customer data for shipping system and billing system Different approaches are possible Some database tools have replication functions Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 14

15 Shared business functions Redundant functionality E.g. check social-security number Build up global functions Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 15

16 Service-orientated architectures A service is a well-defined function that is universally available Managing services becomes critical Needs for: Service repository Interface description Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 16

17 Distributed business process Single transaction is spread across different applications Coordination between applications Use of a business process component Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 17

18 Business-to-business integration Business functions from outside suppliers Communication across internet or other network Handle securities issues Standardized exchange formats Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 18

19 Summary Integration is no easy task, but common for a lot of projects Use of patterns In most cases a combination of different integration approaches will be useful Message-Middleware build up a new abstraction layer Try to hide frequently arising problems Make reliable communication easier to handle Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 19

20 Bibliography Gregor Hohpe and Bobby Woolf, Enterprise Integration Patterns, Addison Wesley, 2004 David A. Chappell, Enterprise Service Bus. Theory in Practice, O Reilly, 2004 Eric Pulier and Hugh Taylor, Understanding Enterprise SOA, Manning Publications, 2006 Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 20

21 Thanks for your attention. Christoph Hartmann - Integration Challenges 21