Application integration- A perfect way to unlock the potential of your applications

Application integration- A perfect way to unlock the potential of your applications

Application integration- A perfect way to unlock the potential of your applications

No modern enterprise can carry on its activities by relying on a single application. There are several applications required by businesses for fulfilling different tasks and roles. Thus, this makes it inevitable for business houses to depend on a large number of applications. But at the same time, handling a lot many applications is very challenging. Hence, business houses prefer to integrate the applications using the application integration software’s.  It helps the applications to connect with each other so that the work procedures can be performed efficiently.

What is meant by application integration?

There is no denying the fact that businesses depend on a number of applications that need to communicate. Application integration refers to connecting the applications to facilitate sharing of data, resources, and processes among different applications. The purpose behind consolidating applications is to reduce the overhead costs and boost the organization’s productivity.

What are the different levels of integrating applications?  

There are four levels of the application integration. The first one is the presentation level integration; the second level is the business process integration, the third one is the data integration and the fourth level is the communication level integration. These levels are the different technologies that result in the creation of an  application integration solution.

  • Presentation level integration

This is also known as screen scrapping and is one of the oldest types of integration. It is combining different applications into a single one. For the collection and organization of information, it uses middleware technologies. It provides a substandard method for integration and access to data.

  • Business process integration

Business process integration refers to connecting essential business processes. For connecting applications and organizing workflows, it makes use of automation and artificial intelligence. The purpose of business process integration is to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce errors, and improve productivity.

  • Data integration

Integration is incomplete without data integration. It refers to complete and transparent sharing of information among applications. Data integration uses translation methods which involves the conversion of output to a format that is readable accessible by all other applications. This is known as the data transformation concept that is crucial for the success of application integration software.

  • Communication level integration

This method is essential for achieving data as well as business process integration. This level of integration is concerned with communication features such as writing, speaking, or singing. To ensure that every application receives information in an understandable manner and transmits information that is clear to other applications, special protocols known as Application Programming Interfaces are used.

Different methods are used by communication level integration for data transformation. These are:

  • Point to point– It allows direct sending and receiving of request among applications.
  • Hub and spoke– This method leverages centralized middleware for efficient handling of data transformation and route information.
  • ESB- For requesting application, spoke is converted into processor so that the hub controls the lighter routing tasks. In comparison to the above methods, this method boosts scalability and speed.

In a nutshell, application integration helps the organizations in accessing the functionality and data of different applications in a consistent way.  It is a crucial step for businesses that are looking forward to leverage data to get a better insight into business situations. Hence, the integration of application is essential for creating a data-driven integration structure for the growth and innovation of your company. If you haven’t integrated your applications its right time to consolidate them through application integration software so that your business can perform the workflows in the best way.

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