Large-scale companies normally have quite a number of various systems, built on different technological platforms and in different periods of time. The important goal here is to create a single environment that would handle all of the company's business processes. Integration of applications solves the problems of heterogeneity, disconnection, and incompatibility. It is also useful when companies are amalgamated or absorbed, and the inherited software needs to be merged. And, although many ERP systems include interface modules to other systems, there are cases when an ERP system cannot interact with the CRM system.

Integration platforms

Integration of enterprise applications can be realized on the basis of an integration platform. Such approach allows creating new strategic business solutions by combining functionality of both existing and new applications on a common basis.

For the purpose of applications integration, DigitalXpert's specialists normally use one of the following platforms (depending on the customer's business specifics): Microsoft BizTalk Server or Ensemble by InterSystems. The company also offers its own solution – DX_GO.

Microsoft BizTalk Server.

Platform's aim: integration of existing applications including IT systems belonging to different classes; integration of connections with partners.

BizTalk Server helps establishing order in the multitude of software products used, be it within one enterprise, or in the circle of several partner organizations. Thus, MS BizTalk Server 2002 can be treated not only as an EAI product, but also as a basis for B2B solutions.

Main usage purposes:

• Enterprise application integration;
• Business partners' application integration (within B2B structure);
• Automation of business processes handled by applications being integrated.

Main advantages:

• BizTalk Server is currently the only full-scale integration system in the market which is not tied to some single standard;
• The product has considerable options for expanding basic functionality;
• It is easy-to use for development, setup, and support of solutions created.

Disadvantages:

• Not all standards are equally supported, for example, quite a lot of efforts should be spent on setup and testing of EDIFACT-based solutions;
• Some inconveniences in transformation debugging and documentation;
• Insufficient integration of Orchestration and Messaging subsystems.

Ensemble by InterSystems

The Ensemble platform combines the functionality of an integration server, application server, high-speed database, and joint environment for development and management. All this is realized as a single product with homogeneous architecture.

Ensemble allows solving all main tasks for integrating enterprise applications: data coordination, business process management, composite applications development, and business activity monitoring. As opposed to other integration platforms, Ensemble's code contains a high-performing object database which is used for storage of meta-data, messages, relevant information, and composite applications data.

The Ensemble platform contains a full-scale development environment for creating adapters, defining integration logic, developing composite applications, and building portals.

DX_GO as a tool for application integration

Notwithstanding the fact that any modern application has connectors (means for data exchange with other programs), the interaction problem is still an important one. The main reason for it is absence of a single format for connectors. For example, once a new version of a mail server is released, one can discover that connector compatibility in an already integrated system has been lost; thus all the system can go to pieces.

A portal is a universal data access point. Portal solutions allow performing an aggregated search among many data sources. It is not a means for integrating applications itself; although the features it offers are currently being expanded. Some additional work should be performed to ensure the portal is integrated with other applications.

DigitalXpert's specialists have created the DX_GO portal which not only provides integrated access and interaction in terms of "man – application", but is also an integration tool. DX_GO allows setting up data exchange between various applications without using additional integration instruments. For details on DX_GO, please click here.

Depending on the customer's needs, we offer a variety of integration tools: not only DX_GO, but also other vendors' products (MS Share Point, IBM Web Sphere Portal, Web Logic), plus the possibility to develop a totally new solution.