SIA - 4 & 5 MODULES

Enterprise Integration Architecture

The Enterprise Integration Architecture links business systems, processes and data across the enterprise. It is based on current technology, industry standards (which minimize dependence on any one vendor) and industry trends (which keep it adaptable).;

Application Components

Units of software combined into larger functionality. Basic components are application objects grouped into object structures (e.g. a customer, a production schedule). Over a network they become distributed components, e.g. Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB). Distributed components representing business entities = business objects.;

Business Applications

Traditionally an integrated system that runs independently, serves a group of users, and has its own database and interface. Now: business logic moves into separate business processes; applications may share a database, common services and a Web server.;

Business Processes

Currently embedded in application code. They determine the order of activities, user participation and exception handling. Changing them requires users and programmers to modify code.;

Business System Domains (BSD)

Business processes and applications that share components and maintain consistency of state, including the ability to roll back an incomplete transaction and recover after a failure. The organization holds primary responsibility for information integrity, security and recovery.;

Corporate Domain

A corporation incorporates several BSDs, integrated through infrastructure services and protocols. Coordination is mainly via business process requests and events. Some BSDs may be outsourced.;

Virtual Enterprise

Integrates customers and business partners over the Internet. Key difference: the level of isolation required, to protect against adverse actions by customers, partners or impersonators. Includes electronic commerce and outsourcing.;

Integration Infrastructure Model

A collection of shared facilities that lets legacy, COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) and custom applications work together.;

Network Model

Three primary domains: Internal Systems, Public Web Applications, The Public Internet.;

Workflow Process Model

Common to every workflow management system: Process, Process Instance, Activity, Requester, Personal Work List, Resource Assignment Facility, Process Manager, Process Interoperability.;

BSD Model

Component-based application model is preferred for new development. Preferred technology: J2EE / EJB (popularity, vendor commitment). CORBA Components offer similar capabilities and allow other languages; J2EE can interoperate with CORBA.;

Enterprise Data Storage Model

Basis for current-state and historical views (monitoring, planning, decisions). Parts: Business Operation Apps, Document Management, Operational Data Store, Enterprise Master Databases, Business Document Archives, Meta Data, Data Warehouses, Data Marts. Integrity needs consistent data definitions and coordinated changes.;

Knowledge Access Model

Knowledge = information about the business and its technologies; usually not in operational databases or warehouses, but unstructured or in people's memories (tacit knowledge). Knowledge management captures and preserves it so it is not lost when people leave.;

Intranet

Primary vehicle for internal user access and for exchange of messages and files between applications. Made of LANs for work groups linked by a WAN. Each BSD has its own isolated LAN with restricted access, free to use network technology suited to its function.;

Personal Computers

Run Web browsers, the enterprise's primary user interface. Handle e-mail, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, conferencing. Support browser plug-ins. Common purchasing and support gives economy of scale.;

Messaging Services

Message-oriented middleware (MOM) moves messages between BSDs in a store-and-forward, asynchronous mode. Queues guarantee once-and-only-once delivery.;

System Management

Supports operation, configuration and problem resolution. Failures and performance problems must be recognized and resolved quickly; upgrades and workload changes must be anticipated and coordinated to avoid disruption.;

Security Services

Primarily each BSD's responsibility, in a physically secure environment. Users are authenticated, then authorized for specific data and functions. Between BSDs, servers authenticate each other and encrypt communications.;

Organization Directory

Employee and organization-structure information, accessible anywhere. A digital certificate authenticates identity; the directory defines who the person is in organizational context. Holds enterprise-level roles, distinct from local roles within a BSD.;

Archiving Service

Long-term storage of agreements, transactions and digitally signed electronic documents. Flow: BSD creates and signs a document, keeps a local archive for performance, then documents are batched periodically to the enterprise archiving service. Gives economies of scale and reliable long-term preservation.;

Meta Data Repositories

Hold data about data, systems and interfaces, used for runtime operations (distinct from development repositories). Figure 5 shows six key categories.;

Knowledge Management

Knowledge = information about relationships, consequences and priorities, often in people's heads. Capture and classification stay with business functions. The infrastructure's role is not to store knowledge but to help find it: it stores and searches knowledge meta data.;

Portals

Windows on the enterprise from the public Internet; points of contact and control so outsiders see only what is appropriate. Examples: Enterprise, Employee, Retail, Customer Service portals, secured by access control.;

B2B Messaging

Exchanges between computers of business partners (suppliers, financial institutions, outsourced functions, commercial customers). Each side must authenticate the other and agree on the protocol. ebXML (Electronic Business XML, sponsored by the United Nations) specifies B2B protocols and documents, plus reliable messaging with once-and-only-once delivery.;

BSD (Business System Domain)

Set of business processes and applications that share components and keep their state consistent; supports rollback and recovery.;

Business object

Distributed component representing a business entity.;

EJB / J2EE

Enterprise JavaBeans / Java 2 Enterprise Edition; preferred component technology.;

CORBA Components

Similar to J2EE/EJB, allows other languages; interoperable with J2EE.;

COTS

Commercial off-the-shelf applications.;

Loose coupling

Systems interact with minimal dependence on each other's internals.;

Workflow management

Automates business processes (process, activity, work list, process manager).;

Tacit knowledge

Knowledge held in people's heads rather than documents or databases.;

MOM

Message-oriented middleware; store-and-forward, asynchronous messaging.;

Store-and-forward

Message is queued and delivered later when the receiver is ready.;

Once-and-only-once delivery

Queue guarantee that a message is delivered exactly one time.;

Intranet

Internal network (LANs linked by a WAN) for internal access and message/file exchange.;

Organization directory

Enterprise-wide employee and structure data, including enterprise-level roles.;

Archiving service

Shared long-term storage of legally binding documents.;

Meta data repository

Holds data about data, systems and interfaces for runtime operations.;

Portal

Controlled window on the enterprise for the public Internet.;

B2B

Business-to-business exchange between partners' computers.;

ebXML

UN-sponsored XML standard for B2B protocols, documents and reliable messaging.;