What is system integration and when do

you need it?

System integration is the process of

joining software and hardware
modules into one cohesive
infrastructure, enabling all pieces to
work as a whole.
Advantages of system integration:
1.Increased productivity.
2.More accurate and trustworthy data.
3.Faster decision-making.
4.Cost-effectiveness.
1. Legacy system integration
Goal: integration of modern applications
into existing outdated systems.

vMany organizations use outdated

software to perform their core business
functions. It cannot be removed and
replaced with more modern technology
as it is critical to a company’s day-to-
day workflow.
Legacy system integration
Legacy application is “an information
system that may be based on
outdated technologies, but is critical
to day-to-day operations.”
Legacy system integration
The hidden costs of legacy software
2. Enterprise application integration (EAI)
Goal: unification of different subsystems
inside one business environment.

Example: creating one ecosystem for

accounting, human resources
information, inventory management,
enterprise resource planning (ERP),
and CRM systems of a company.
2. Enterprise application integration (EAI)
Architecture is a practice of designing
and building structures, a product
of construction. In broader terms,
architecture means a systematically
assembled combination of elements
and their behavior.
Enterprise Architecture is the process of
describing the structure of an
organization and implementing
changes to improve it.
2. Enterprise application integration (EAI)
Enterprise architect (EA) is a person who
aligns a company’s business
strategy and plans with technology
that will support the strategy.
2. Enterprise application integration (EAI)
Enterprise architect oversee:
• Describing a company’s current
architecture
• Analyzing a company’s objective
• Proposing technical solutions
• Aligning a company’s business
• Creating a strategic plan
• Leveraging enterprise architecture
frameworks
• Bringing a “big picture” perspective
3. Third-party system integration
Goal: expanding functionality of the
existing system.

vIntegration of third-party tools is a

great option when your business needs
new functionality but can’t afford
custom software development or just
has no time to wait for features to be
built from scratch.
3. Third-party system integration

Example: integrating an existing

application with online payment
systems (PayPal, WebMoney), social
media (Facebook, LinkedIn), online
video streaming services (YouTube),
etc.
4. Business-to-business integration

Goal: connecting systems of two or more

organizations.

vBusiness-to-business or B2B
integration automates transactions and
document exchange across companies.
It leads to more efficient cooperation
and trade with suppliers, customers,
and partners.
4. Business-to-business integration

Example: connecting a retailer’s

purchasing system to a supplier’s
ERP or Enterprise resource
planning system.
Ways to connect systems

Application programming interfaces

(APIs) provide the most common
and straightforward way to connect
two systems. Sitting between
applications and web services, they
enable the transmission of data and
functionality in a standardized
format.
 Ways to connect systems
1. Middleware is the hidden software layer that
glues together distributed systems,
applications, services, and devices. It
handles different tasks such as data
management, messaging, API management,
or authentication.
2.Webhooks, also known as HTTP callbacks are
real-time messages, sent by one system to
another when a certain event happens.
3. EDI — the abbreviation for electronic data
interchange — is the exchange of business
information in a standard electronic format,
that replaces paper documents.
How to approach system integration
Can be approached through
different architectural
models.
1. Point-to-point model(P2P)is
the architectural pattern in
which every system is
directly connected to all
other systems and apps it
needs to work in tandem
and share information with.
How to approach system integration
1. Point-to-point model(P2P)
Pros and cons: Among the main
advantages of point-to-point integration is
the ability of an IT team to build a small-
scale integrated system quite quickly.

Star/Spaghetti integration- to
interconnect six modules you
need to perform 15 integrations.
How to approach system integration
1. Point-to-point model(P2P)

When to use it: This approach suits

companies that don’t have complex
business logic and run their operations
on just a few software modules.
How to approach system integration
Can be approached through different
architectural models.
2. Hub-and-spoke model is a more advanced
type of integration architecture that
addresses the issues of point-to-point
and helps to avoid the star/spaghetti mess.
The connections between all subsystems
are handled by a central hub
How to approach system integration
2. Hub-and-spoke model

vThe hub serves as a

message-oriented
middleware with a
centralized integration
engine to translate
operations into a single
canonical language and route
messages to the right
destinations.
How to approach system integration
2. Hub-and-spoke model

Pros and cons: As opposed to P2P, the

model brings quite a few benefits to
the table including higher scalability.

When to use it: The hub-and-spoke model is

widely-used in e-commerce, financial
operations, and payment processing.
How to approach system integration
Can be approached through different
architectural models.
3. Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) model

The ESB architecture involves the creation

of a separate specialized subsystem — an
enterprise service bus — that serves as a
common user interface layer connecting other
subsystems.
How to approach system integration
3. Enterprise Service Bus
(ESB) model
The ESB can be described
as a set of middleware
services that glue multiple
systems, serving as a
messaging backbone.
How to approach system integration
3. Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) model
Pros and cons: One of the best things about
ESBs is that each subsystem is decoupled
by a “messaging bus,” so it can be replaced
or changed without affecting the
functionality of other subsystems.

When to use it: An ESB model is an optimal way

to implement large projects such as
enterprise application integration (EAI),
allowing them to scale when needed.
Deployment options for integrated
systems
Two popular deployment options to
consider.

1. Integration platform as a Service (iPaaS)

2.Hybrid integration platform (HIP)
Deployment options for integrated
systems
Integration platform
as a Service (iPaaS).
Integration Platform as a
Service is a set of
cloud-based integration
solutions mostly used
for building and
deploying integrations
in the cloud.
 Deployment options for integrated
systems
Integration platform as a Service (iPaaS).
Pros and cons: iPaaS is advantageous in tons of ways. It’s
flexible, multi-functional, and scalable. With iPaaS,
integration activities are automated, facilitating the
connection of systems and databases deployed in any
environment and enabling faster project delivery.

When to use it: iPaaS is great for real-time applications and

it enables a variety of integration scenarios including
enterprise application integration (EAI), data
integration, cloud integration, B2B integration, API
management, Internet of Things integration, and many
more.
Deployment options for integrated
systems
Hybrid integration
platform (HIP).
A hybrid integration
platform or HIP is a
more universal version
of what iPaaS offers. It
is an array of integration
software providing built-
in capabilities to make
on-premises and cloud-
based solutions work as
a single unit.
 Deployment options for integrated
systems
Hybrid integration platform (HIP).
Pros and cons: HIPs provide different perks from managed
APIs and cloud offerings to reusable integration
templates for common use cases.

When to use it: The main focus of HIPs is placed on the

digital transformation of legacy systems.
Key steps of system integration
 What is the role of system integrators?
NOTE: You may have the best integration
technologies, but, without human expertise, it
won’t bring you much value.
A system integrator (SI) is an individual or company
that helps clients bridge scattered computer
subsystems from different vendors and ensures
those subsystems function in accordance with
one another.

The services of system integrators can be your best

bet in case you want to save time and effort. The
most beneficial thing of having a system integrator is
the expertise and resources they offer that
customers often lack internally.
Thank you!