GEAR 6 Integration Patterns Overview
GEAR 6 Integration Patterns Overview
GEAR 6 Integration Patterns Overview
February 2003
Agenda
Introduction
The Challenge: Understanding the Platform’s
Capabilities
The Solution: Identifying Common Patterns of
Integration
Application Integration
Extended Enterprise Integration
Collaboration
Composite Application
Customer Examples
Closing
The webMethods Integration Platform
Composite Application
Integrated access across
applications, data sources,
and business processes
People Businesses
Application Integration – Data
Consistency
The Problem Data Integration Patterns
Data scattered across different Automatically synchronize
systems – customer, inventory, data across multiple
financial, etc. applications and databases
Rapidly propagate information
The Result across the organization from a
Inconsistent views of system of record
information Quickly aggregate data from
Difficult to get a complete different source systems into a
picture consolidated data store
Questionable data quality
Manual data entry (and re-
entry)
Addressing Data Integration Needs
Solution Requirements
Non-invasive detection of data
changes
Canonical data representation
Data transformation and
mapping
Key and code cross referencing
Joining data
Duplicate suppression
Efficient data routing
Reliable data delivery
Transaction support
• Examples
Exception handling
Many-to-many, bi-directional • Single view of the customer
communication • Vendor master sync
• Product catalog replication
• Financial data consolidation
Application Integration – Multi-step
Processes
The Problem Process Integration
Stovepipe applications and Patterns
business processes that span Automate process flows
them across different applications
Incorporate external service
The Result invocations into existing
People have to “bridge” gaps systems and business processes
between systems
Need for users to learn and use
multiple applications
Slower processing
Inconsistent status
More opportunity for process
errors
Addressing Process Integration Needs
Solution Requirements
Business process modeling
API-level application integration
Data transformation and
mapping
Intelligent routing
Distributed transaction support
(transaction management and
compensating transactions)
Exception handling (done within
applications or external user
interface)
Process monitoring • Examples
Service-oriented architecture
• Quote to Order
• Straight Through Processing
• Order Status
• Credit Verification
Understanding Client- vs. Server-Side
Integration
Client-Side Server-Side
Integration Integration
Integration Logic Application Integration Server
Implementation
Processing Model Synchronous Asynchronous Application
Primary Human End User Administrator Front-End
Interface
Error Communication Immediate Deferred Application Server
or Database
Customizable
Client Application
Adapter
Application Server
or Database
Extended Enterprise Integration
Solution Requirements
E-standard document type and
protocol support
Conversation management
Long-running transaction
support
Reliable delivery
Security
Trading partner profile
management
Document “warehousing”
Tracking and management • Examples
Cost-effective partner server
capability • EDI
Seamless back-end integration
• E-Procurement
• Vendor-Managed Inventory
Workflow Integration
Solution Requirements
Integrated business process
management (automation and
workflow)
Production workflow
functionality
Role-based personalization
Task distribution rules
Push (to user) and pull (from groups)
models
Business calendar support
End-user interface design
environment • Examples
• Insurance claims processing
• Approval processes
• Error handling
Composite Application
Solution Requirements
Custom application construction
Personalized user interface design
capabilities
Application logic development and
execution environment
Real-time application integration
End-user security
Run-time management and
administration
• Examples
• Customer Service
Representative interface
• Real-time management
reporting
Recap
Systems
Integration problems
occur in recognizable
Application patterns
Integration