An integration platform is a software that integrates various services and programs into one single platform. It differs from the usual enterprise application integration that has a much larger focus on supply chain management, specifically in the supply chain management of customer relationships. Instead, it makes use of the concept of system integration to develop an integrated environment for programmers. Integration Platforms have the ability to integrate multiple systems and software together by providing an interface and data sources from existing sources.
Integration platforms provide the data sources, as well as the means to manage them, to make any integration process possible. They do this by managing the communication channels, such as communication interfaces, business rules or custom business processes. By managing these communication channels, the integration platform can respond to customer expectations, as well as determine whether or not an integration should be established. However, integration flows can also be determined by the type of business process involved, for example, a process for purchasing a product requires different integration flowcharts than a process for improving the quality of a product.
Integration Platforms are cloud-based application solutions that allow business people to communicate more easily and efficiently between different sources. Integration platforms can include: API Management, Real-Time Unified Communication (RUC), Enterprise API Management and Cloud Platform API Management. This platform brings together the benefits of traditional web development practices with the convenience and speed of cloud computing. The integration platform allows business professionals to develop and maintain client-side and server-side mobile, desktop, and browser-based applications, as well as to create rich internet applications (RIAs).
Businesses frequently incorporate new processes and/or products into their overall business strategy. These processes might require changes to their architecture or the way they’re managed, or they might be part of a complete reengineering effort. To address these issues, companies often choose to implement one or more integration platforms. Common integration platforms include: Enterprise Platform (Eprise OS or Open Source), Mobile Enterprise Platform (MEP), and WebCL. These platforms work together to provide a single platform for managing and monitoring all the processes and products in a company.
A key characteristic of the Integration Platform as a Service (IaaS) is that it’s software-as-a-service (SaaS). This means that businesses don’t need to purchase and install software on their own network. Rather, the IaaS provider does this work for them. Some IaaS packages include: Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEP), Enterprise Portal, and Electronic Data Migration (EDM). Some of the key components that make up these software applications are: Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEP), Mobile Enterprise Software Interface (MEI), Enterprise Information Integration (EII), and Electronic Data Migration (EDM). Together, these tools help businesses implement and manage processes and information that are critical to their future.
Integration Platform as a Service allows for easier and faster integration of internally-developed and externally-developed software applications. This is beneficial in several ways. First, it reduces costs by not requiring purchasing new hardware. Second, it helps to speed up processes, while reducing costs due to increased reliance on data integration platforms. Finally, it helps to improve the security and integrity of applications since most platforms have safeguards built in to prevent tampering and theft of sensitive information.