Enterprise Application Integration based on Service Oriented Architecture
Zaigham Mahmood · 2007
Enterprises have invested heavily in large-scale applications software to run their services and business functions. The infrastructure used is often heterogeneous across a number of platforms, operating systems and languages and, thus, there is a huge duplication of functionality and services resulting in a waste of valuable resources and poor response times. Increasingly, the business and IT managers are being asked to deliver improved functionality while leveraging existing IT investment as well as provide flexibility and on-demand services. In this context, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is emerging as an attractive architectural style for developing and integrating enterprise applications. SOA promises a better alignment of IT with business, seamless integration of business applications and reduced costs of development and maintenance. Evidence suggests that large enterprises are moving towards this new paradigm. In this paper, we introduce the SOA approach, present the benefits and challenges it offers and provide guidance with respect to enterprise application integration and implementation. The objective is to provide some useful background information for enterprises that wish to embark on the road to application integration via the SOA.