E-Business and Distributed Systems Handbook: Integration Module

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 248 pages
• Published by: Nge Solutions May 2003
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0972741445
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0972741446
• Book Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 1.3 pounds

Book Description
This section explains the enterprise application integration and migration strategies in a systematic and "hype-free" manner and discusses the integration architectures with a comprehensive analysis of enabling technologies. This is one section of an extensive handbook that systematically discusses how to translate e-business strategies to working solutions by using the latest distributed computing technologies. Several real life examples and case studies are included to explain the key points. Chapters of this section discuss the following topics: a) overview of enterprise integration with existing (including legacy) applications, b) conceptual discussion of strategic, architectural and technical choices (e.g., loose versus tight coupling, pub-sub models) with promises and pitfalls, c) enterprise and inter-enterprise application integration (EAI/eAI) technologies and platforms to support light-weight as well as heavy-duty integrations, d) analysis of enabling technologies (Web Services, XML, CORBA/DCOM, message brokers, MOM, screen scrapers, ODBC/JDBC) and the commercially available EAI platforms that package these technologies for an "integration bus", e) data warehouses and their role in enterprise integration, e) migration strategies and technologies, and f) integration state of the practice (examples), market (commercial products), and art (research issues). Numerous useful references and links are provided for additional investigation.

Publisher Description
This is one section of a comprehensive handbook, which consists of several modules that discuss the management as well as technical issues based on a common framework. Each module, available separately, is written as a self-contained booklet that can be used for independent study of the subject matter or combined with others for a broader view:

MODULE (OVERVIEW): THE BIG PICTURE AND CASE STUDIES
* Preface: Suggested Usage in Courses, Detailed Table of Contents, Glossary of Terms
* Chapter 1: e-Business and Distributed Systems – From Strategies to Working Solutions
* Chapter 2: Case Studies and Examples

MODULE (APPLICATIONS): E-BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND APPLICATIONS
* Chapter 1: e-Business-- From Strategies to Applications
* Chapter 2: e-Business Applications (CRMs, ERPs, eMarkets, SCM, ASPs, Portals)
* Chapter 3: From Strategies to Solutions – A Planning Methodology
* Chapter 4: IT Infrastructure – Overview of Enabling Technologies
* Chapter 5: Applications State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (ARCHITECTURES): SOLUTION ARCHITECTURES THROUGH COMPONENTS
* Chapter 1: Solution Architecture Overview
* Chapter 2: Enterprise Application Architectures - A Component-based Approach
* Chapter 3: Enterprise Data Architectures in Web-XML Environments
* Chapter 4: Architecture Implementation: Concepts and Examples
* Chapter 5: Architectures State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (INTEGRATION): ENTERPRISE APPLICATION INTEGRATION AND MIGRATION
* Chapter 1: Integration with Existing (Including Legacy) Applications -- An Overview
* Chapter 2: Enterprise and Inter-Enterprise Application Integration (EAI/eAI)
* Chapter 3: Data Warehouses and Data Mining for Integration
* Chapter 4: Migration Strategies and Technologies
* Chapter 5: Integration State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (NETWORKS): NETWORK SERVICES AND ARCHITECTURES IN THE INTERNET AGE
* Chapter 1: Principles of Communication Networks
* Chapter 2: Network Architectures and Interconnectivity
* Chapter 3: Wireless and Broadband Networks -- Next Generation Networks:
* Chapter 4: IP-based Networks and the Next Generation Internet
* Chapter 5: Networks State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (MIDDLEWARE) : APPLICATION INTERCONNECTIVITY THROUGH MIDDLEWARE
* Chapter 1: Middleware Principles and Basic Middleware Services
* Chapter 2: Web, XML, Semantic Web, and Web Services
* Chapter 3: Distributed Objects, CORBA, Web Services, J2EE, .NET, SOAP, and EJB
* Chapter 4: Enterprise Data and Transaction Management
* Chapter 5: Middleware State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (PLATFORMS): APPLICTION SERVERS FOR MOBILE AND EC/EB APPLICATIONS
* Chapter 1: Mobile Application Servers
* Chapter 2: e-Commerce Platforms for C2B Trade -- The Commerce Servers
* Chapter 3: B2B Platforms and Standards -- The B2B Servers
* Chapter 4: Platforms for Multimedia and Collaboration
* Chapter 5: Application Servers State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (MANAGEMENT): MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY
* Chapter 1: e-Business Management in Practice
* Chapter 2: Management Platforms for Network and Systems Management
* Chapter 3: Security Management-- Approaches and Technologies
* Chapter 4: Security Solutions -- Using Technologies to Secure Systems
* Chapter 5: Management State of the Practice, Market, and Art

MODULE (TUTORIALS): TUTORIALS AND DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON SPECIAL TOPICS
* Chapter 1: Network Technologies -- A Tutorial
* Chapter 2: Object-Orientation, Java, and UML -- A Tutorial
* Chapter 3: Database Technologies and SQL -- A Tutorial
* Chapter 4: Web Engineering and XML Processing -- A Closer Look
* Chapter 5: CORBA -- A Closer Look

Reader Reviews
I read this book (it should not be called a module, it is a complete book!) after going through many books and articles on enterprise integration. For the money, this is the best treatment of business issues, strategic choices, and enabling technologies for EAI. Umar starts with a very good discussion of various integration strategies and the tradeoffs. Approaches to deal with legacy applications are clearly spelled out including access in place, data warehouses, and m igration (gradual/cold turkey). Then a very solid discussion of EAI platforms is presented with a spotlight on XML, Web services, message brokers, screen scrapers, and all that. I really like the categorization of EAI-lite, EAI-mid, and EAI-heavy to emphasize that not all integrations are multi-million, multi-year projects. The role of data warehouses in integrations and when/how to migrate is also covered quite well. The examples and case studies in the last chapter to summarize state of the practice, market, and art is quite beneficial. Umar is a good writer who has a good practical as well as theoretical knowledge of the subject matter (a rarity). In this and other modules of this handbook, he always starts with a conceptual framework and then explains different pieces of the framework through examples, commercial products, and relevant research findings. His focus is practical but he discusses the underlying principles and foundations quite well so that the material is useful for university/industrial courses. Large sources of additional materials and Web links further add to the academic value. Although this module is self sufficient, it should be combined with architecture and middleware modules of the handbook due to their affinity to the subject matter. It is a very worthwhile study.