Enabling the communication of the vast array of different applications normally found in larger companies is a huge problem. When old mainframe legacy systems are part of the equation, data transfers between applications can become extremely complex and require expert support. In fact, large amounts of Of the efforts and and expenses of modern Information Systems departments are swallowed by the bottomless pit of application integration.
There is a lot of middleware around designed to help overcome these problems, and this is often very helpful. Failing this, a procedure to download, from one database, convert the data, then upload to another database might be necessary. Such procedures are often unstable and demand the attention of highly skilled people.
It was hoped that object oriented applications would overcome these problems in newer systems. But this is only true if an enterprise database is created, and all applications are based on it. With many applications having their own databases, the problem is still around to haunt IT departments.
Because proprietary application packages are popular, it is still possible to have a variety of object-oriented databases used by different applications where entities common to several applications are duplicated. With this situation the problem simply continues in an up-to-date guise. Because these packages are common solutions to requirements, the situation really has not changed much.
What is needed to resolve the situation today is a situation where an enterprise database with standard modules to update, maintain, and query the common data is created. Any new applications would then simply interface with that central database. Application specific data could be integrated with the enterprise database or kept separate, as appropriate.
Such a simplified view of company date is still completely futuristic. The power of computer hardware makes it possible for inefficient. Sub-optimal configurations to survive. Perhaps the IT professionals could learn from manufacturing, where the lesson was learned long ago that keeping older, inefficient, machinery because it had been paid for and was still work was an ineffective approach, which lowers quality and productivity.
As it is, the productivity of many IT departments is abysmal, despite the many dedicated, intelligent, hard-working professionals they employ, many involve in application integration. In fact, smaller companies usually just live with the various versions of the same data, and simply capture it several times. With so much to be done, it is easy to imagine that the present situation will be viewed with incredulity by future generations of IT professionals, once a rationalized approach has been developed.
There is a lot of middleware around designed to help overcome these problems, and this is often very helpful. Failing this, a procedure to download, from one database, convert the data, then upload to another database might be necessary. Such procedures are often unstable and demand the attention of highly skilled people.
It was hoped that object oriented applications would overcome these problems in newer systems. But this is only true if an enterprise database is created, and all applications are based on it. With many applications having their own databases, the problem is still around to haunt IT departments.
Because proprietary application packages are popular, it is still possible to have a variety of object-oriented databases used by different applications where entities common to several applications are duplicated. With this situation the problem simply continues in an up-to-date guise. Because these packages are common solutions to requirements, the situation really has not changed much.
What is needed to resolve the situation today is a situation where an enterprise database with standard modules to update, maintain, and query the common data is created. Any new applications would then simply interface with that central database. Application specific data could be integrated with the enterprise database or kept separate, as appropriate.
Such a simplified view of company date is still completely futuristic. The power of computer hardware makes it possible for inefficient. Sub-optimal configurations to survive. Perhaps the IT professionals could learn from manufacturing, where the lesson was learned long ago that keeping older, inefficient, machinery because it had been paid for and was still work was an ineffective approach, which lowers quality and productivity.
As it is, the productivity of many IT departments is abysmal, despite the many dedicated, intelligent, hard-working professionals they employ, many involve in application integration. In fact, smaller companies usually just live with the various versions of the same data, and simply capture it several times. With so much to be done, it is easy to imagine that the present situation will be viewed with incredulity by future generations of IT professionals, once a rationalized approach has been developed.
About the Author:
Peggie K. Lambert is an expert in data management and integration. Need to learn more about application integration? If so the author recommends you visit www.liaison.com.
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