Today, there are multiple operations in a business such as sales, customer support, project management and marketing. To manage multiple operations in the business, it is necessary to use one or more applications in each of the existing cards. If these applications cannot communicate and exchange information with each other, we need to ensure that operations are processed in silos. Therefore, competitive markets demand faster and more cost-effective solutions that accelerate information exchange, increase productivity and streamline operations. This is where the integration platform comes into play. The Integration Platform allows it to have an ecosystem of apps that work with one another, rather than a bunch of apps doing their own thing.
Definition of Integration Platform
Integration Platform is a computing software that provides the integration tools they need to interconnect various applications, systems, services, and data stores. Widely used in business environments, the integration platform connects a company at the software level, creating an integrated enterprise system. The Integration Platform connects one application to another application, pushes or pulls data between applications, and organizes and executes workflows. It usually achieves this through APIs and webhooks.
The Integration Platform should facilitate data mining procedures and enforce a strict level of security across the entire network.
What Are The Integration Types?
A business chooses the right type of integration platform for it based on business needs and requirements. There are many types of integrations businesses can choose from, but the most common ones are:
-
Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)
iPaaS is a cloud-based platform that provides a set of tools and services to integrate different systems and applications of the enterprise. Because it is easy to use, it is a good option for businesses of all sizes, large and small.
-
Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
EAI platforms are designed to integrate large and enterprise-level systems. The range of features and capabilities is quite wide.
-
Hybrid Integration Platform (HIP)
The Hybrid Integration Platform offers a combination of iPaaS and EAI platforms. It has the ability to connect both on-premises and cloud-based systems.
B2B integration is the integration between two or more businesses that connects and automates business processes.
Cloud Integration is an integration platform that helps businesses integrate their cloud-based applications and data.
Why Integration Platform Matters?
The Integration Platform enables businesses to connect all their applications and data sources together and securely transfer data between them. Integrating applications with each other transfers application information and data in real time and allows tracking all data from a single platform. This enables the operational processes of the enterprise to be accelerated and facilitated, increasing efficiency and profitability.
What Are The Benefits of an Integration Platform?
Lacking an Integration Platform means that the right hand does not know what the left is doing. Unless all systems in the business are brought together under the same roof, data inconsistencies can easily be seen on the network. With an integration platform that connects the different subsystems of the business, all the information in the business is located in one central location. This provides several benefits for businesses.
The Integration Platform is much cheaper than the fees you pay to connect individual applications. You can view and manage all your software through the integration platform. Thus, it reduces the time spent by employees creating, managing, auditing and correcting APIs that they previously spent.
-
Allows you to manage all your software in one place:
The purpose of the Integration Platform is to bring all the different software together so that data remains consistent from one area of the business to another. The Integration Platform connects the business at the software level. Thus, you can view and manage all your software on a single platform.
-
Increases the productivity of employees and teams:
For developers, coders, and other members of the IT department, employees can devote their increased time to other pursuits, as automating the connection between applications and data sources through API integrations will reduce the time previously spent creating, managing, auditing, and fixing APIs. This increases productivity and efficiency. At the same time, platforms such as the integration platform can often create and manage their own APIs, even by non-technical teams.
-
Reduces the risk of errors:
Unless all systems in the business are brought together under the same roof, it is necessary to enter data multiple times in multiple applications. This increases the risk of errors, as two separate employees can easily make wrong entries to the system. However, these errors go unnoticed for long unless someone actively monitors or compares both systems. Since the integration platform provides data flow between the software, you only need to enter the data once.
-
Provides future-proof enterprise integration:
Machine learning, wearable devices, and the Internet of things (IoT) are some of the technology trends that are poised to dramatically change the corporate IT landscape in the future. With the integration platform, organizations can be confident that they can effectively integrate these new technologies as they grow.
-
Allows to easily create new applications:
Many applications today consist of previously existing technologies that are uniquely interconnected using APIs. New applications can be created in the same way. Teams can simply and quickly connect disparate technologies through an API integration platform, or expose existing integrations as APIs or microservices to bring new applications to market.
What Is The Difference Between an Integration Platform and iPaaS?
Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS) enables data exchange between cloud applications, data warehouses, IoT devices, data lakes, and different systems in the technology stack. APIs are below this process. It exchanges data between your systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and Customer relationship management (CRM). A modern iPaaS exposes the APIs of every system. In other words, it allows you to create new APIs. API creation and API management are different. You cannot manage the APIs you have created.
iPaaS is a cloud-based offering suite designed to connect applications. Like a traditional integration platform, it helps organizations execute and manage system integrations. iPaaS typically uses a combination of various on-premises and cloud-based solutions that enable a company to migrate SOA and ESB fabrics to microservices architecture.
For more information on Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS), You can read our wiki post: “
What’s iPaaS?”
