Selection of Enterprise Application Integration Solutions

Abstract

Application Integration helps build bridges between applications and thus streamlines business processes for the benefit of companies and governments but mainly for their customers. In addition, with the advent of IoT and hybrid cloud computing, massive data exchanges need new integration pushes for new methods like Event Architecture which hasn’t had a lot of research attention with Application Integration methodologies. Alas, no “one size fits all” for application integration is recommended. Each integration scenario has to be analyzed individually by a knowledgeable person. No holistic decision support for choosing an application integration was found. Thus, this master thesis investigated and tested with integration and business experts through one-on-one and workshop interviews the creation of a selection aid model to help support the selection decision process. This model takes both technical and business criteria into account as too often these world are separated in the analysed literature. Selection Criteria and Integration Solutions were gathered from multiple sources to make a holistic and usable model. This was then iteratively challenged and tested with experts to see how the model handled. Although adjustments have to be made to have a fully functional and usable model, a well grounded foundation has been laid.