System Integration

Mini Case Studies © 2010

Nguyễn Minh Nhật -Mob:0905125143

Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D.
Email :nhatnam06@gmail.com
Senior Lecturer, Executive Education Program
Institute for Software Research
Carnegie Mellon University 1
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LECTURE 3 Integration Models

Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D.

Senior Lecturer, Executive Education Program
Institute for Software Research
Carnegie Mellon University

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Lecture Objectives

❖ Understand three different types of integration models

❖ Understand the characteristics of these models
❖ Understand the advantages and disadvantages of each model

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What does it mean to Integrated?

❖ An integration model is a prescribed approach and
configuration used to integrate software. It provides a range of
different options for the approach and configuration as well as
set requirements and limitations, and it emphasizes one or two
of the following attributes:
✓ Simplicity of performing the integration
✓ Reusability of integration for different configurations
✓ Breadth of possible approaches to integration
✓ Expertise required in performing integration

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What does it mean to Integrated?

❖ Several models have appeared along with supporting tools that
each aimed to reduce the time and cost or increase the
reusability and flexibility of integration.

❖ There are 3 Models of Integration for Software

➢ Presentation integration : information is integrated through
the user interface component
➢ Data integration : information is integrated through a
middleware layer that has business intelligence
➢ Functional integration : information is integrated among
databases or data sources

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What does it mean to Integrated?

❖ Whenever two software components are integrated together
several factors heavily influence the quality and utility of the
integration. The factors are these:
➢ The integration model that is applied
➢ The tools that are used
➢ The designer's choices
❖ Coupling : defines the degree of integration.
➢ Loose coupling is where the integration is dependent on a
few discrete interfaces
➢ Strong coupling is usually where implementation
dependencies occur.

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Presentation Integration
❖ is one of the simplest forms of integration.
❖ allows the integration of new software through the existing
presentations of the legacy software.
❖ used to create a new user interface but may be used to
integrate with other applications.

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Presentation Integration

The presentation integration model integrates through the user interface of applications.
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Characteristics of Presentation Integration

❖ Databases are independent – No coupling!
❖ Information presentation is through application API’s
❖ Databases may have inconsistent information
❖ Primarily a display (i.e., read only)
❖ Examples of Presentation Integration models:
➢ Executive dashboards
➢ Operational status displays

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When is it Appropriate to use the Presentation Integration

Model ?
❖ Put a PC-based user interface on an existing terminal-based
application in order to provide an easier-to-use application for
an end user
❖ Present and interface that the user perceives to be a single
application
❖ Integrate with an application whose only useful and
implementable integration is through its presentation
❖ Cannot access databases directly

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Presentation Model Advantages

❖ Easiest to implement of all the models

❖ Information presentation often meets user need for information
❖ Reuse is maximized, Web-based technologies useful
❖ Legacy applications unaffected

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Presentation Model Disadvantages

❖Maintenance can be difficult

• Changes in underlying databases may affect GUI
• Data sources may not be able to change to meet
requirements

❖Data may be inconsistent

❖Inability to access underlying applications may constrain
functionality
❖API’s may not fully support information requirements

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Data Integration Model

❖The data integration model goes directly into the databases or

data structures of an application, bypassing the presentation
and business logic to create the integration.
❖ A variety of tools and data access middleware has been used
to access and integrate information from databases
➢ Batch file transfer : allow files to be moved between systems and
applications
➢ Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) : A standard application
programming interface that abstracts access to heterogeneous relational
databases
➢ Database access middleware : A form of middleware that focuses on
providing connectivity to distributed databases
➢ Data transformation : A tool that usually complements middleware
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Data Integration Model

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Characteristics of the Data Integration

❖ Data is accessed directly from all data sources

❖ Middleware technology is used to facilitate data services –
increasingly coupled
❖ Business intelligence application is often used to
retrieve/update and present information
❖ Information can be updated in both data sources
❖ Existing application interfaces are not used

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When is the data Integration Model Appropriate?

❖ Combine data from multiple sources for analysis and decision

making
❖ Provide multiple applications with a common source of
information
❖ Allows data to be extracted from one source and reformatted
and updated in another database

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Data Model Advantages

❖ Can access all data elements in the DB

❖ Increase customization over presentation model
❖ Can update data if necessary
❖ Legacy applications unaffected

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Data Model Disadvantages

❖ Maintenance can be difficult

❖ Data may be inconsistent
❖ Inability to access business logic in legacy applications may
constrain available functionality
❖ Redundant code possible

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Functional Integration Model

❖ The functional integration model integrates at the business logic

level, as opposed to the presentation or data levels.
❖ Requires that the point of integration be in the code of the
application

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Functional Integration Model

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Functional Integration Model

❖ Distributed processing middleware

➢ is a type of software that facilitates the communication
of requests between software components through the use of
defined interfaces or messages
➢ it provides the runtime environment to manage the requests
between software components
❖ The three categories of distributed processing middleware are
as follows :
➢ Message Oriented Middleware (MOM)
➢ Distributed object technology
➢ Transaction processing monitors (TPMs)

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Functional Integration Model

❖ Message Oriented Middleware (MOM)

➢ Provides integration by passing messages between
applications. Similar to the concept of the Post Office, a
message is placed into the MOM.
➢ Examples of products include IBM's MQSeries and Talarian's
Smart Sockets.
❖ Distributed object technology
➢ The software then can be accessed by other applications
across a network through the object interfaces (CORBA,
Microsoft COM+, and Sun's Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE)
environment)
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Functional Integration Model

❖ TP monitor (TeleProcessing monitor or Transaction Processing

monitor) A control program that manages the transfer of data
between multiple local and remote terminals and the application
programs that serve them.

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Characteristics of Functional Integration Model

❖ Application Logic is available to the presentation layer from

legacy applications
❖ Data consistency
❖ Update capability with the integrated applications
❖ Some sort of middleware is necessary to manage all integrated
applications
❖ The most coupled of integration styles

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When is the Functional Model Appropriate?

❖ Data consistency is important – integration through the

code of an application where the purpose is to access or update
data
❖ Multi-step processes must be coordinated – an action is
properly processed across all relevant application in the correct
order of precedence
❖ Plug-and-play components –
• Interfaces are formed using a consistent set of rules
• The definitions of the actions are consistently applied

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Functional Model Advantages

❖ Complete access to all data and business logic

❖ Can create the most customized solution
❖ Can update legacy applications if necessary
❖ Data is consistent in the system

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Functional Model Disadvantages

❖ Maintenance task increases in complexity

❖ The most difficult to implement
❖ Data may be inconsistent
❖ Legacy applications may be affected

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Heuristic 2

Build and maintain options as long as possible in the design

and implementation of complex systems. You will need them.

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Heuristic 3

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

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Summary

❖ Three types of integration models:

• Presentation Model
• Data Model
• Functional Model
❖ These models do not constitute a rigid integration design
model, rather many integrated systems are a combination of
styles
❖ Each model has advantages and disadvantages
❖ The integration style should be selected based on the user
requirements and constraints
❖ Think about the heuristics when selecting an integration style
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QUESTION
1. Using a table, compare and contrast the 3 different integration
styles – Presentation, Data, and Functional integration.

2.What does “Coupling” mean with respect to system integration?

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The end

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