B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

98 B2B Integration — A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce
Custom Packaged BHJIMM Legacy Network
Applications Applications DataBase* Systems Technology
Adapter Adapter Adapter Adapter Adapter
The EAI Platform
Figure 4.1. — The EAI platform
EAI processes and tools help companies evolve to e-business by
creating an integrated infrastructure to connect existing legacy systems
and back-office applications with the Internet, allowing an organization
to move and share information and data across all boundaries (see
Figure 4.1).
4.3. Where Did Things Go Wrong?
Twenty to 30 years ago, information systems were relatively simple in
makeup: there was the mainframe. The mainframe served its purpose
admirably, providing an inherently integrated system. The minicomputer,
often of a UNIX flavor, arrived soon after.
The late 80s gave rise to distributed systems. With their rise came a
strong move within companies to departmentalized information systems.
The new distributed systems were generally based on UNIX and
Windows technologies, the latter of which introduced the graphical user
interface to the business world.
The migration to departmentalized distributed computing was
motivated by several factors, including:
• The desire to implement graphical user interfaces, which were not
yet possible using mainframe 'green screens';
• The perceived (often wrongly) notion that distributed client-server
systems were cheaper and easier to implement and maintain;
• The need for departmental executives to build fiefdoms to obtain
personal advancement within the corporation; and
• The ability of out-of-control IT departments to implement the latest
technologies into the market without giving proper consideration to
return on investment or revenue.