Enterprise integration

Enterprise integration is a technical field of enterprise

architecture, which is focused on the study of topics such
as system interconnection, electronic data interchange,
product data exchange and distributed computing
environments.[1]

It is a concept in enterprise engineering to provide the

relevant information and thereby enable communication
between people, machines and computers and their
efficient co-operation and co-ordination.[2]

Overview
Requirements and principles deal with determining the
business drivers and guiding principles that help in the
development of the enterprise architecture. Each Concept of enterprise integration
functional and non-functional requirement should be
traceable to one or more business drivers. Organizations
are beginning to become more aware of the need for capturing and managing requirements. Use-case
modeling is one of the techniques that is used for doing this. Enterprise Integration, according to Brosey et
al. (2001), "aims to connect and combines people, processes, systems, and technologies to ensure that the
right people and the right processes have the right information and the right resources at the right time".[3]

Enterprise Integration is focused on optimizing operations in a world which could be considered full of
continuous and largely unpredictable change. Changes occur in single manufacturing companies just as
well as in an "everchanging set of extended or virtual enterprises". It enables the actors to make "quick and
accurate decisions and adaptation of operations to respond to emerging threats and opportunities".[3]

History
Enterprise integration has been discussed since the early days of computers in industry and
especially in the manufacturing industry with computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) as
the acronym for operations integration. In spite of the different understandings of the scope of
integration in CIM it has always stood for information integration across at least parts of the
enterprise. Information integration essentially consists of providing the right information, at
the right place, at the right time.[4]

In the 1990s enterprise integration and enterprise engineering became a focal point of discussions with
active contribution of many disciplines. The state of the art in enterprise engineering and integration by the
end of the 1990s has been rather confusing, according to Jim Nell and Kurt Kosanke (1997):

On one hand, it claims to provide solutions for many of the issues identified in enterprise
integration.
On the other hand, the solutions seem to compete with each other, use conflicting
terminology and do not provide any clues on their relations to solutions on other issues.
Workflow modelling, business process modelling,
business process reengineering (BPR), and concurrent
engineering all aim toward identifying and providing the
information needed in the enterprise operation. In
addition, numerous integrating-platforms concepts are
promoted with only marginal or no recognition or support
of information identification. Tools claiming to support
enterprise modelling exist in very large numbers, but the
support is rather marginal, especially if models are to be
used by the end user, for instance, in decision support.

Enterprise integration topics Evolution in Enterprise Integration: This figure

summarizes these developments indicating the
shift of emphasis from systems integration to
Enterprise modeling enterprise integration with increasing focus on
inter enterprise operations or networks.
In his 1996 book "Enterprise Modeling and Integration:
Principles and Applications" François Vernadat states, that
"enterprise modeling is concerned with assessing various aspects of an enterprise in order to better
understand, restructure or design enterprise operations. It is the basis of business process reengineering and
the first step to achieving enterprise integration. Enterprise integration according to Vernadat is a rapidly
developing technical field which has already shown proven solutions for system interconnection, electronic
data interchange, product data exchange and distributed computing environments. His book combines these
two methodologies and advocates a systematic engineering approach called Enterprise Engineering, for
modeling, analysing, designing and implementing integrated enterprise systems".[5]

Enterprise integration needs

With this understanding the different needs in enterprise integration can be identified:[4]

Identify the right information: requires a precise knowledge of the information needed and
created by the different activities in the enterprise operation. Knowledge has to be structured
in the form of an accurate model of the enterprise operation, which describes product and
administrative information, resources and organisational aspects of the operational
processes and allows what-if analysis in order to optimize these processes.
Provide the right information at the right place: requires information sharing systems and
integration platforms capable of handling information transaction across heterogeneous
environments consisting of heterogeneous hardware, different operating systems and
monolithic software applications (legacy systems). Environments which cross organizational
boundaries and link the operation of different organisations on a temporal basis and with
short set-up times and limited time horizon (extended and virtual enterprises).
Update the information in real time to reflect the actual state of the enterprise operation:
requires not only the up-date of the operational data (information created during the
operation), but adapting to environmental changes, which may originate from new customer
demands, new technology, new legislation or new philosophies of the society at large.
Changes may require modification of the operational processes, the human organization or
even the overall scope and goals of the enterprise.
Coordinate business processes: requires precise modelling of the enterprise operation in
terms of business processes, their relations with each other, with information, resources and
organisation. This goes far beyond exchange of information and information sharing. It takes
 into account decisional capabilities and know-how within the enterprise for real time
decision support and evaluation of operational alternatives.
Organize and adapt the enterprise: requires very detailed and up-to-date knowledge of both
the current state of the enterprise operation and its environment (market, technology,
society). Knowledge has to be available a priori and very well structured to allow easy
identification of and access to relevant information.

Identification and use of information

Explicit knowledge on information needs during the

operation of the enterprise can be provided by a model of
the operational processes. A model which identifies the
operational tasks, their required information supply and
removal needs as well as the point in time of required
information transactions. In order to enable consistent
modelling of the enterprise operation the modelling
process has to be guided and supported by a reference
architecture, a methodology and IT based tools.[6]

The Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and

Methodology (GERAM) framework defined by the
IFAC/IFIP Task Force provides the necessary guidance of
the modelling process, see figure, and enables semantic
Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture
unification of the model contents as well. The framework
and Methodology (GERAM) Framework for
identifies the set of components necessary and helpful for
Enterprise Integration.
enterprise modelling. The general concepts identified and
defined in the reference architecture consist of life cycle,
life history, model views among others. These concept
help the user to create and maintain the process models of
the operation and use them in her/his daily work. The
modelling tools will support both model engineering and
model use by providing an appropriate methodology and
language for guiding the user and model representation,
respectively.[6]

Transfer of information

To enable an integrated real time support of the operation,

Example of Enterprise integration: the US
both the process descriptions and the actual information
National Business Center's Human Resources
have to be available in real time for decision support,
Line of Business, Innovative Future Direction.
operation monitoring and control, and model
maintenance.[6]

The figure illustrates the concept of an integrating infrastructure linking the enterprise model to the real
world systems. Integrating services act as a harmonising platform across the heterogeneous system
environments (IT and others) and provide the necessary execution support for the model. The process
dynamics captured in the enterprise model act as the control flow for model enactment. Therefore, access to
information and its transfer to and from the location of use is controlled by the model and supported by the
integrating infrastructure. The harmonising characteristics of the integrating infrastructure enables transfer
of information across and beyond the organisation. Through the semantic unification of the modelling
framework interoperability of enterprise models is assured as well.[6]

Enterprise Integration Act of 2002

The Public Law 107-277 (116 Stat. 1936-1938), known as the Enterprise Integration Act of 2002,
authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology to work with major manufacturing industries
on an initiative of standards development and implementation for electronic enterprise integration, etc. It
requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish an initiative
for advancing enterprise integration within the United States which shall:[7]

involve the various units of NIST, including NIST laboratories, the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership program, and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, and consortia that
include government and industry;
build upon ongoing efforts of NIST and the private sector; and
address the enterprise integration needs of each major U.S. manufacturing industry at the
earliest possible date.

See also
AMICE Consortium
Architecture of Integrated Information Systems
Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems
Integration Consortium
Canonical Model
CIMOSA
Configuration Management
Data integration
Enterprise application integration
Enterprise Information Integration
Enterprise Integration Patterns
Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology
Semantic integration
Semantic Unification

References
 This article incorporates public domain material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(https://www.nist.gov).

1. François Vernadat (1996). Enterprise Modeling and Integration: Principles and Applications,
Chapman & Hall, London.
2. CIMOSA Association e.V., About us (http://www.cimosa.de/CoAssoc/NewWebS/Frame1/Abo
ut_us.htm). Accessed 16 Jan 2009.
 3. W. D. Brosey et al. (2001). Grand Challenges of Enterprise Integration (http://www1.y12.doe.
gov/search/library/documents/pdf/ydw-1851.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2009
0403020229/http://www1.y12.doe.gov/search/library/documents/pdf/ydw-1851.pdf) 2009-04-
03 at the Wayback Machine
4. J.G. Nell and Kurt Kosanke (1997). ICEIMT'97 International Conference on Enterprise
Integration Modeling Technology (http://www.mel.nist.gov/workshop/iceimt97/ice-ovei.htm).
Accessed 07 Jan 2008.
5. Announcing the first textbook on Enterprise Modelling and Integration (http://cimosa.cnt.pl/D
ocs/emi-book.htm) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20081224082506/http://cimosa.cnt.
pl/Docs/emi-book.htm) 2008-12-24 at the Wayback Machine Francois B. Vernadat (last
update: 21.10.1996). Accessed 07 Jan 2008.
6. NIST (1997) Issues in Enterprise Integration (http://www.mel.nist.gov/workshop/iceimt97/pap
-kk1/pap-kk1.htm)
7. Enterprise Integration Act of 2002 (http://www.glin.gov/view.action?glinID=85531) Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20110522163951/http://www.glin.gov/view.action?glinID=8553
1) 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine.Accessed 07 Jan 2008.

Further reading
Peter Bernus and L. Nemes (ed.). (1995). Modelling and Methodologies for Enterprise
Integration: Proceedings of the IFIP TC5 Working Conference on Models and Methodologies
for Enterprise Integration, Queensland, Australia, November 1995. Chapman & Hall. ISBN 0-
412-75630-7.
Peter Bernus et al. (1996). Architectures for Enterprise Integration. Springer. ISBN 0-412-
73140-1
Fred A. Cummins (2002). Enterprise Integration: An Architecture for Enterprise Application
and Systems Integration. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-40010-6
Charles J. Petrie (1992). Enterprise Integration Modeling: Proceedings of the First
International Conference. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-66080-6
Kent Sandoe, Gail Corbitt, Raymond Boykin, Aditya Saharia (2001). Enterprise Integration.
Wiley, ISBN 0-471-35993-9.

External links
IFIP/IFAC Task Force on Enterprise Integration (http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~bernus/ei.referenc
es/task.force.info.html), a short overview of their activities in the 1990s.

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