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When done right, Enterprise Application Integration can really work wonders for all types of business whether you are just a startup or a large-established firm. Keeping up with the evolving tech has never been easy, first the websites then the mobile applications and it’s time to acknowledge the charm of enterprise applications. Unfortunately, the conventional ways of doing business are not suitable anymore, the times and technologies have changed and so do we. Enterprise Application Integration seems to have become pretty much in vogue these days.
The following post focuses on what Enterprise Application Integration is, how significant it is if you want to gain a competitive edge and of course what are its potential challenges to consider. Let’s start with the basics – What is Enterprise Application Integration?
What is Enterprise Application Integration?
Today almost every business is found trending toward new and emerging digital initiatives like never before. As a result, they do require a plethora of systems and solutions to maintain a seamless workflow within the organization. And that’s where Enterprise Application Integration comes to play. The term is meant to integrate two or more incompatible systems and ensure a seamless user experience within the organization.
In simple words, it’s all about syncing and aligning different types of systems and databases in a seamless manner. Today, a plethora amount of data is being generated every now and then- no matter what industry you are in. And slowly, people have started realizing the true value of this gold mine. To conduct massive data analysis and come up with a quick and precise decision-making process, you need to ensure that the business is using the given information correctly. Fret not, Enterprise application integration (EAI) is right here at your disposal.
Now many of you have this question is EAI related to middleware technologies? Well, of course, that’s absolutely true. In fact, some of the interesting EAI technologies include web service integration, service-oriented architecture, content integration and other business procedures. To be more precise, some common examples of enterprise application integration include:
- Supply Chain Management
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Human resources
- Enterprise Resource Planning
- eCommerce
Enterprise Application Integration is all about sharing information across different departments across a wide range of locations. Now here anything is done whether it’s about generating operational data or and holistic reports, again to assist employees as well as employers in making precise and accurate decisions.
Earlier when the concept of Enterprise Application integration was not introduced the scenario was totally different. All the relevant information was added manually. This consumed large and large amounts of time, money and energy. And if you see it today, employees no longer have to worry about it as it is checked off their list. Also, not to mention manual methods definitely led to high human errors resulting in inaccurate inventories and wrong decision-making.
Types of Enterprise Application Integration
- Point-to-point Integration
- Hub and Spoke Integration
- Bus Integration
- Middleware
- Microservices
Significance of Enterprise Application Integration
Now you must be wondering why Enterprise Application Integration is recommended when it comes to streamlining workflow within the organization. Further, I would like to mention some benefits of considering Enterprise Application Integration.
#1 Simplification
One of the obvious benefits of considering Enterprise Application Integration is that it offers a great amount of simplicity. Earlier, streamlining and simplifying business procedures was an extremely hard nut to crack but not anymore. Both businesses, as well as IT structures, are growing in regard to complexity, and we can do nothing about it, except to come up with different solutions that make things simple and easy to understand. So yes, EAI does play a crucial role in simplifying business procedures to a great extent.
#2 Cost-Effective Solution
Did you know that making mistakes can be quite regretful? Well, business is no child’s play. Every step and every decision must be taken keeping several things in mind. Considering EAI systems means you can reduce costs and investments to a great extent. For example, even if you have purchased new software, it certainly doesn’t mean you have to delete the old one.
In fact, it may quite interest you to know that integrating business applications can assist you in generating a wide range of products and services.
#3 Endless Opportunities are Created
As mentioned earlier, Enterprise Application integrations encourage passing information in a seamless manner. Apart from that, it enables enterprises to conduct large-scale tasks in the least amount of time possible. As a result, you can focus on all the core activities.
Other opportunities or advantages mean, that there are times when businesses have a poor IT infrastructure or a decrease in productivity due to manually adding information. With enterprise application integration, your business can take lead. Also, you are bound to receive great visibility in the business realm.
Enough said about what is enterprise application integration, how is it beneficial, what are its types, etc. Now it’s time to explore the tricky part. Yes, time to get acquainted with Enterprise Application Integration Challenges.
Of course, planning, plotting, and bookkeeping can be considered as a small fraction of business operations but an important one. Well, we do have enterprise application integration at our service. Now much like any other technology, even this one has its fair share of controversies as well. So let’s find out and dodge them.
Top Enterprise Application Development Challenges to Consider
#1 Quick Adaption
One of the obvious challenges that every enterprise needs to consider is adapting new technologies at a fanatic pace. Do you know what the dilemma really is? As soon as you get a bit comfortable with one technology, in particular, the next thing you know is that there comes another one around the corner. As a result, enterprises irrespective of their size and workload are supposed to be flexible in nature.
#2 Security
Another challenge that needs to be addressed while dealing with enterprise application integration is security. Overall, these integrations have a pretty complex structure. And do you know what’s the worst part here? The structure keeps on changing every now and then. Dealing with new elements and configuring seamlessly with the existing ones is no child’s play. As a result, it is very important to keep the information safe and secured. What if anything in regards to your business or customer gets leaked? A cyber attack can be extremely dangerous and eventually you will have a lot to lose. So how to safeguard your business from these attacks?
- Data encryption
- Use anti-malware
- Detect hack by using different tools
- Restrict access to confidential data
#3 High-end Scalability
Another interesting challenge faced by businesses while opting for Enterprise Application Integration is high-end scalability. You see there are times when businesses end up using too many softwares and solutions, all at once. This definitely can make you dependent on third-party providers for support. So what can be done is, to hire a team of developers who can offer specific solutions depending on your business needs and requirements.
In fact, these apps must be able to integrate well with any tools and by doing so, you can increase scalability and endless opportunities for your business.
#4 Integrating with other Systems
What really? How can integrate with other systems be challenging when opting for enterprise application integration? Well, it certainly can be challenging especially when not done properly. Chances are pretty high for your company to face a decrease in optimization and productivity. As a solution what you must be doing is, to come up with new apps after completing the integration testing phase. Laying the integration initially can certainly safeguard your business from facing unnecessary issues and challenges, later in the day.
#5 Choosing an inexperienced Team
Last but certainly not the least issue or challenge is choosing the right team for enterprise application integration. You see one wrong move can result in a significant amount of wastage of time, money and energy. Now I have come across several companies who tend to order ready-made solutions, well you might get cost-effective solutions but with useless features and functionalities. So here opting for custom development services turns out to be the right thing to do. Make sure to partner with a trusted company which has a track record of offering the best possible solutions and that too in the determined timeframe.
Final Word
On and all, Enterprise Application Integration is no longer a new buzzword that is supposed to be acknowledged. If you want to rise above your competitors, this is something that must be taken into account in the very first place. After all, from real-time access to streamlined workflow, easy information access, data transfer, deployment and maintenance, Enterprise Application Integration offers it all! What else do you want?
I hope you did find the post helpful. If yes, feel free to share with your peers and friends. Seamless Intercommunication between enterprise applications has become the need of the hour, so try looking for relevant companies which can assist you in connecting best-of-your-breeds easily.
In case, if you have any doubts or queries, feel free to mention that in the comment section below.
