Until recently, the only alternative to EAI was for companies to build their own point-to-point links between enterprise applications. But a range of emerging Web services and Java integration technologies are giving businesses new ways to integrate enterprise applications more quickly and cheaply.
Barclays Bank's e-banking service is the result of using J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) to knit together the front-end Vignette content management system with its existing Epiphany CRM software. The two applications use Web services to communicate with the back-end systems, which include several Oracle databases and IBM Websphere application servers.
Websphere, like BEA's Weblogic, combines an application server with process integration technology. It allows companies to connect Java-compatible applications using the Java 2 Enterprise Edition Connector Architecture (JCA). This type of integration platform is highly cost-effective and gives the reassurance of using open industry standards, says Matthew Young, AirMiles' IT director. The company recently used Weblogic to integrate its account handling and booking systems into the company's website. "Weblogic offered the functionality we needed, and was something I felt would be a platform for future development," says Young.
Web services alternative
The downside is that integrating legacy and Web systems using an integration server is still hard work. "It's an incredibly steep learning curve and there aren't any short cuts," says Young. To complete the project, AirMiles had to bring in consulting from a number of third parties, including Computer Associates, BEA, Broadvision, Logica and Syzygy.
An alternative option for integration is to use Web services to link together enterprise applications. Web services are rewriting the rules of enterprise integration, and the good news is that users don't have to get their own hands dirty. "IT directors aren't necessarily using Web services in great numbers, but the vendors are creating their own integration tools based on Web services, and embedding those into products," says Hailstone.
