1. Integration Patterns: Matching Requirements to Solutions
Beth Gold-Bernstein
VP Strategic Services, ebizQ

2. Agenda One size does not fit all Integration Options
Lots of technology, different styles, different business requirements, need to match them
Integration Options
Choosing Your Solution

3. One Size Integration? Integration platforms Tactical integration
Expensive
Long implementation
May not need an entire platform
Tactical integration
Can increase maintenance costs over time
Need to balance tactical business requirements with long term viability

4. Integration Options Point-to-point hard coding Screen Scraping
Data Integration
Functional Integration
Process Integration
B2B Integration

5. Point-to-Point Hard Coding
The alternative to integration technology
PROS: Don’t have to evaluate or purchase additional software
CONS: Difficult to change
WHEN TO USE: When integrating 2-3 applications and none of them will ever change.

6. Screen Scraping
Accessing an application through the presentation layer
PROS: Relatively fast, easy, and low cost
CONS: Not adaptive to change; a business process may involve multiple screens
WHEN TO USE: When there is no other effective way to integrate with the application.

7. Data Integration Direct integration to data sources
PROS: Easier and cheaper to implement than an enterprise integration architecture
CONS: Target application logic is by- passed
WHEN TO USE: When integrating just a few systems; when data synchronization is the primary business driver

8. Functional Integration
EAI, Integration brokers. Non-invasive application adapters connect to target application through application API
PROS: Adaptive integration infrastructure
CONS: More difficult and expensive to implement
WHEN TO USE: When integrating transactions across 3 or more systems; or when applications may change

9. Process Integration
Integrate end-to-end business process at the process level
PROS: Enables better management of end-to-end processes, enables business agility
CONS: More complex and expensive
WHEN TO USE: When the business needs real time visibility into business processes that cross multiple application and organizational boundaries.

10. B2B Integration
Enables electronic interchange with suppliers, partners and customers.
PROS: Reduces business cycle times
CONS: Can be complex to implement
WHEN TO USE: To reduce cycle time and cost in the supply chain, increase customer satisfaction, decrease B2B transaction costs.

11. Integration Architecture

12. Poll Question
How would you characterize your integration efforts?

13. Choosing Your Solution
Implement tactically, but plan strategically
Understand the overall plan
Build to manage

14. David Inbar, Vice President-Sales and Business Development