In today’s technology-driven world, enterprises depend on a plethora of applications in order to manage their various business operations. Enterprise application integration (EAI) has a vital role to play in connecting these disparate applications, thereby ensuring that there is a seamless data flow and streamlined business processes. However, implementing a successful EAI isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires careful planning and enhanced adherence to best practices.
So, here we are going to look at what enterprise application integration is all about and how we can use EAI to achieve maximum business benefits:
What is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)?
Let us take a look at enterprise application integration meaning:
What is Enterprise application integration (EAI)? Enterprise application integration (EAI) involves the process of connecting the various applications, services, databases and other systems of a company into an integrated framework that allows for enhanced communication and interoperability. |
An EAI platform helps automate the various business workflows and processes while allowing the smooth transfer of data. The platform ensures that a company is able to have access to data consistently. It also ensures that all the various business processes are streamlined. Enterprise application integration services use various technologies like message-oriented middleware, service-oriented architecture, application programming interfaces, etc., in order to connect the systems together.
| DID YOU KNOW: As per Gartner, through 2027, 50% of critical enterprise applications will reside outside of centralized public cloud locations. |
The Need for Enterprise Application Integration:
These days, most companies use a plethora of applications and services in order to carry out their day-to-day life activities. Other than serving various purposes, the systems have their own data storage and methods of communication. Such disparate systems can lead to data silos. They can also cause data inconsistencies across the organization.
So, in order to ensure that the data remains consistent across the various systems, companies these days are opting for enterprise application integration platforms. These EAI platforms offer the necessary tools and capabilities to ensure that the various systems can exchange their data and workflow. This reduces errors. It also cuts down on manual labor and reduces hindrance significantly.
Why do we need enterprise application integration? Enterprise application integration can be used to bring the various applications in your environment to a single platform. It also ensures that data exchange can take place between the various systems in a smooth way. |
Enterprise Application Integration Architectures and Models:
There are different types of architectures and models available using which you can design your EAI platform. The exact architecture that you choose will depend on your business needs, the systems you want to integrate, and the complexity of the integration process.
So, here we are going to take you through some of the common models used by EAI platforms in order to integrate the disparate systems in the environment:
Point-to-point integration:
This is the simplest form of enterprise application integration (EAI). In this model, data is taken from one system, reformatted if required, and then fed to the next system. Point-to-point integration is simple to implement. It is mostly used for environments having minimal workflows and few applications. However, the integration model becomes difficult to manage as more and more systems get added.
Hub-and-spoke integration:
This model uses a centralized component also known as the hub in order to allow data communication between the different applications. The workflow keeps moving even if an application shuts down. This model is a lot more reliable than the point-to-point model as it can accommodate complex functionality.
Bus integration:
It is also known as ESB. This process is a modernized version of the hub-and-spoke model. All the participating applications make use of various standards in order to send and receive data and workflows. The entire transaction takes place through a central hub. This allows for quick and easy integration. However, the integration needs to be carried out in a phased manner in order to achieve the best outcome.
Middleware integration:
In this model, the EAI platform is implemented as an intermediary layer. This layer is used to connect the different applications, databases and users. The middleware platform implements various approaches in order to deliver EAI services. For instance, a platform might be based on a hub-and-spoke design or bus design. It can also make use of other advanced technologies for implementation.
Microservices:
You can also implement your EAI platform through microservices. These are small, lightweight applications that are particularly meant for a specific purpose. The microservices are mainly created as serverless functions or dedicated apps. They can be used to integrate various systems. They may use APIs and industry standard protocols for the integration process.
Top EAI Models:
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Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Models
| Model | Description | Key Characteristics |
| Point-to-point Integration | Data taken from one system, reformatted if required, and fed to the next system. Simplest form of EAI. |
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| Hub-and-spoke Integration | Uses centralized component (hub) to allow data communication between different |
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| Bus Integration (ESB) | Modernized version of hub-and-spoke. Applications use various standards to send and receive data through central hub. |
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| Middleware Integration | EAI platform implemented as intermediary layer connecting applications, databases, and users. |
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| Microservices | Small, lightweight applications designed for specific purposes. Created as serverless functions or dedicated apps. |
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You can choose your EAI model based on your exact business requirements. That way, you can get the maximum benefits out of EAI.
Related Read: Enterprise Application Integration: Modernize Your Enterprise Infrastructure with Effortless Integration!
Key Components of Enterprise Application Integration:
Here are some of the key enterprise application integration components that you need to know of:
Data integration:
Data integration involves collecting data from different sources and putting it together. It also involves cleaning the data and making sure that it is the same in different formats. Data integration also includes removal of duplicate data.
According to a Forbes report, 67% of enterprises are relying on data integration to support analytics and BI platforms today.
API integration:
This involves integrating the different applications through APIs which are like doors that allow data in and out in real-time. API integration is one of the most commonly used ways to integrate the various applications in EAI.
Business Process Management:
BPM is all about figuring out how to get the work done across different systems and making some of the processes automatic. With enhanced BPM, companies can achieve the maximum benefits from the integration process.
Service orchestration:
This process involves creating workflows that are used to connect the different applications together. Service orchestration ensures that all the different services work in synchronization with one another, thereby making the integration smooth and effective.
Security:
The security aspect ensures that only the right people have access to the required data. This is done using various methods like secure connections, private networks, and enhanced authentication.
Each of these EAI components have got an equally important role to play in ensuring that the EAI implementation gets carried out in a smooth and streamlined manner.
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Benefits of Enterprise Application Integration:
Now let us take you through some of the major advantages of enterprise application integration:
Removed data silos:
EAI can be used to deal with data silos that emerge when disparity systems operate independently without any communication. Instead of isolated data pools, the data is able to flow freely across the systems. This ensures that all the departments have a consistent and unified view of data.
Enhanced process efficiency:
Businesses involve multiple systems which generally don’t communicate with one another. These processes work in a separate manner, thereby harming the business efficiency. With EAI, all these processes are integrated. This allows the business operations to be streamlined. The companies are also able to operate without any kind of hindrance.
Reduced IT expenses:
Maintaining various standalone systems can be an expensive affair. The expenses are mostly incurred in terms of licence, support and infrastructure. EAI can be used to reduce the cost by offering a unified framework that makes use of the existing infrastructure. The companies can make maximum use of the current assets without having to incur any additional expenses.
Real-time data access:
Modern businesses require real-time data in order to make well-informed business decisions. EAI allows applications to exchange data so that all the changes can be synchronized and shared across all the systems. It also offers stakeholders with the most recent data for accurate decision making.
Improved customer experience:
By integrating the various systems in your environment, you can offer your customers a much better experience. This ensures that the customers are happy with the services being offered to them. You will also be able to ensure that their needs are well addressed and in a prompt manner.
Benefits of EAI:
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Along with these benefits, there are multiple other benefits associated with EAI. However, these benefits can only be availed if you choose a reliable integration service provider like APPSeCONNECT for integrating the different systems in your environment.
Reach out to the APPSeCONNECT experts today to learn more about EAI!
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Challenges in Implementing Enterprise Application Integration:
An EAI framework does offer your company with multiple benefits. However, there are certain challenges associated as well. So, here we are going to take a look at some of the major challenges of enterprise application integration process:
Complex integration:
Applications, services and databases may vary substantially in configuration as well as in functionality. The underlying technologies also differ. Trying to integrate these systems into a unified platform can be a mammoth task. Significant amount of time and resources are required in order to ensure that the integration gets carried out smoothly.
Legacy systems:
Integrating legacy systems with various modern applications and services can turn out to be difficult. Older systems are often incompatible with modern applications or with other legacy systems. This makes it really difficult for you to ensure that the integration happens without any hindrance. It also becomes a challenge for you to ensure that the data flow takes place in a smooth and effective manner.
Scalability concerns:
Even if all the services and applications can be integrated with each other, the WAI platform still experiences problems as your company begins to scale up and the number of transactions increases. In case a company relies on cloud services, scalability is not much of a concern. However, for on-prem systems, the EAI platform must be agile enough in order to accommodate growing business needs.
Security risks:
While implementing the EAI platform, a company must ensure that the platform comes with effective security and compliance measures. Failing to exercise due diligence during the integration process can lead to severe security breaches. Your organization’s reputation can also be harmed.
| There are various challenges associated with EAI which may slow down the integration. So, while implementing EAI, you must ensure that all the integration challenges are well navigated so that you can get the maximum benefit from the integration process. |
Wondering how to navigate these challenges? Well, the best option that you have in hand is to choose APPSeCONNECT for EAI integration.
Best Practices for Successful Enterprise Application Integration:
As per IDC, the enterprise applications market grew 12.0% year over year in 2023 with worldwide revenues reaching 356 billion USD. This value will rise through the years.
Here are some of the best practices of enterprise application integration (EAI) that need to be followed:
Define clear objectives:
Before starting the integration process, it is really important to adhere to enterprise application and integration best practices like defining clear objectives. Identify the business processes and workflows that need to be integrated. Also, understand the goal that you wish to achieve through the integration process.
Design a complete integration strategy:
It is really important for you to develop a proper integration strategy that aligns with your business goals and architecture. Consider various integration approaches, data synchronization requirements, security considerations, etc., and then choose the right strategy for your business.
Give priority to data quality and governance:
Prioritizing data quality and governance is again a must. It helps in maintaining high standards throughout the integration process. Establish proper data governance policies, data validation rules, and data cleansing methods to ensure that there is consistent data across the various systems.
Ensure compliance and security:
You must abide by security and compliance regulations while designing integration workflows. Implement robust authentication, authorization, encryption, and access control mechanisms in order to safeguard your data. It is also important to adhere to industry regulations and standards like GDPR, HIPAA, etc. to ensure regulatory compliance.
Closely monitor the integration performance:
Monitoring the integration performance is again important to ensure the reliability and efficiency of integrated systems. You are required to implement proper monitoring and logging capabilities to track the KPIs such as throughput, latency, system uptime, etc. You can also use advanced monitoring tools for the process.
Plan for future growth:
You must design your integration architecture in such a way that it is able to accommodate future growth. The integration architecture should also be scalable enough so that you can add more systems to the existing network whenever required without having to face any kind of hindrances.
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Future of Enterprise Application Integration:
The future of enterprise application integration is being shaped by automated, intelligent, and event-driven architecture. Companies are evolving from traditional integration to more efficient, scalable, and flexible platforms.
Here are some of the key trends that are currently shaping the future of EAI:
Hyper-automation and AI-driven integration:
Hyper-automation encompasses the use of AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation. This technology is changing how integration occurs. Businesses are increasingly looking forward to reducing manual intervention in the integration process, resulting in faster and accurate workflows.
iPaaS and low-code/no-code integration:
iPaaS has revolutionized the way businesses connect with different systems and applications. Companies like APPSeCONNECT offer low-code/no-code environments that simplify the integration task, making it simpler for developers and users to create and manage workflows.
Forrester research anticipates that AI will significantly impact the iPaaS market, potentially leading to a shift from technical integration to business automation.
Event-driven architecture (EDA):
In this case, real-time data streams are used in order to trigger actions. This allows systems to respond to change in data. This ensures that the business operations get carried out smoothly without any kind of hindrances.
Security-first integration:
As enterprises integrate more applications across systems, maintaining security becomes a vital concern. With an increase in cyber threats, enterprises must prioritize security while implementing the various integration strategies. These days, companies are using zero trust architecture (ZTA) to ensure that the data remains secure.
Choosing APPSeCONNECT As Your EAI Partner:
So, if you are willing to fetch the maximum benefits out of your enterprise application integration strategy, then you must consider choosing a reliable service provider for EAI. APPSeCONNECT stands out as one of the most reliable names in the world of application integration. It offers various extensive features that allow the integration process to be carried out in a smooth and effective manner.
APPSeCONNECT’s enhanced features:
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APPSeCONNECT has already helped thousands of companies in achieving their integration goals. The company’s enhanced set of features also place it above its competitors like MuleSoft and Celigo.
Here’s a quick comparison on why APPSeCONNECT is better than its competitors like MuleSoft and Celigo:
| Feature | APPSeCONNECT | MuleSoft | Celigo |
| Prebuilt Connectors | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
| No-Code Setup | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ |
| Customization Options | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ |
| 24/7 Support | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Cost efficiency | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ |
| Implementation | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
While companies like Celigo and MuleSoft come with various advanced features, APPSeCONNECT’s advanced set of features makes it a better choice as compared to its competitors.
Know More about APPSeCONNECT’s Enhanced Pricing Plans!
APPSeCONNECT’s adherence to compliance regulations: APPSeCONNECT abides by various compliance regulations, like:
It also follows enhanced security measures:
You can also rely on the experts at APPSeCONNECT for meeting geo-specific compliance regulations. |
Hear what people have to say about APPSeCONNECT’s services!
Mini Case Study: Tower Garden USA, one of the biggest names in the sustainable gardening industry, opted for APPSeCONNECT’s iPaaS integration solution to integrate Shopify and Sage 300. Here are the outcomes:
Want to go through the complete case study? Click here! |
So, if you still have disparate systems in your business environment, it is high time that you connect with the integration experts at APPSeCONNECT and achieve the maximum benefits from EAI integration!
Frequently Asked Questions
EAI can be used to automate the various manual tasks. It also ensures that data is synchronized across the business environment.
Yes, APPSeCONNECT provides multiple options to customize your EAI solution as per your exact business requirements.
The exact cost will depend on the complexity of the integration process and the exact nature of your business environment.
