System Integration 2.0?

Allot has been said this past year on the topic Web 2.0 (and already even 3.0) and its impact on our social interaction and of course also our ways of working. Enterprise 2.0 is a beautiful term used to describe all new relevant business methodologies in this new ‘era’. An interesting list of Enterprise 2.0 tools can be found on the Dutch website on digital trends Frankiswatching.com. However, what will this all mean when it comes to System Integration?

Things are of course developing at lightning speeds. For instance on the topic of Web 2.0 techniques you would now tend to think to use AJAX to build very interactive web applications which are much more responsive to the user. This is done by exchanging small amounts of data with the web server behind the scenes, so that the entire web page does not have to be reloaded each time the user requests a change. But while wide adoption of AJAX has only yet begun, there is already a successor in the from of “streaming AJAX” or “Comet”. This very interesting programming technique enables web servers to send data to the client without having any need for the client to request it (easy to read Dutch article on Comet). Very useful to really push information into a browser, so think along the lines of dynamic dashboards, event-driven web applications, alerting, etc.

Using Comet technology, real-time information of the available stock positions can for instance be pushed when updated from a Warehouse Management System right into a browser, feeding a well-organized dashboard with current live data. Operational Business Intelligence in its full glory! Or Business Intelligence 2.0 if you will.

System Integration 2.0 could then on the other hand well become a browser based platform to access all structured data from enterprise applications as well as unstructured data from file systems, emails, etc. Using a powerful search engine that understands the semantics and context of your data inside your business applications, you will be able to quickly find all relevant information using your own company information portal. Because of the semantics, information from an order will directly be linked to the relevant customer. Also the order itself will contain order lines, which in their turn are linked to an item, etc. The underlying semantic model therefore creates true system-independent intelligence which crosses any and all system boundaries where needed.

It will also become technically much more easy to integrate the underlying applications and databases. SOAP protocols and Web Services already provide many possibilities to create quick mashups (some Dutch examples, based on Google Maps). A mashup is defined by Wikipedia as a website or application that combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience. Just the thing we aim for as a system integrator.

Employees will also be more enabled to change the way data is displayed and manipulate and use this information. Using Wikis to truly collaborate in the creation of relevant reports, content, etc. Integrated blog functionality will enable quick, traceable and interactive commenting, including the tagging of data. So no longer Post-Its and unreadable handwriting, like currently on those reports with non-actual data being sent around for review. However joint action lists like 37signals' Basecamp implemented and the possibility to easily subscribe to alerts via email, RSS and SMS on objects in the underlying back-office systems.

Ohh and before I forget... All the above of course using the most beautiful Service Oriented Architecture you can imagine! ;-) Now doesn't that sounds like something which could be called System Integration 2.0?

What is Service Oriented Architecture SOA?

In two months time our company will be present on the big TINE trade show (Amsterdam RAI, 8-10 May 2007). TINE is the Dutch national ICT-platform, and our booth will be in Topix 14: System Integration. Of course we would like to invite all blog readers to visit us on this show, but this post is actually regarding a different subject. It is however because I came across something on the TINE website: Some excellent YouTube material to explain in layman's terms what Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is all about. Very simple, yet very effective.

The first one explains the SOA concept very creatively by means of musical notes:


You might also want to check the other two videos: wardrobe and building blocks.

Want to know more on Service Oriented Architecture as it relates to Operational Business Intelligence? Then visit our booth on the TINE in May or contact us now.

Business Intelligence #1 priority CIOs

Just like 2006, market research firm Gartner cited BI as a top agenda item for CIOs in 2007. For the second year in a row Business Intelligence tools emerged as the number one technology priority in Gartner's annual survey of 1.400 CIO's worldwide. Predicting a 10,5% growth of the business intelligence market in 2007.

"CIOs will need to concentrate on information as a leverage point to enhance efficiency, increase effectiveness and support competitiveness," said Mark McDonald, group vice president and head of research for Gartner EXP. "This also corresponds to the continued importance of business intelligence in 2007. As such, CIOs will continue to be responsible for IT — the mechanism. They can further play a greater role in leveraging information — the understanding that drives performance and innovation."

CIOs can create enterprise leverage when a focused effort produces significant results for the enterprise and its strategy. This means that CIOs need to exploit new approaches to transform the business. One of the sources of enterprise leverage CIOs can draw on is information: Gaining the business insight and understanding required to act in a changing environment. Only 36 percent (!) of CIOs believe that management is using the right information to run the business.

And then what about non-management? The people that run the operational business? Do they have easy access to all the right and up-to-date information? If the knowledge workers within your company are bogged down, hunting and gathering information, then the whole company could be bogged down.

Do you feel poor information management or access is limiting your organization in driving true business effectiveness and innovation? Then drop a line...