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How can Application Integration Transform Business Performance?
Application integration middleware is software that connects applications together over a distributed network. It’s often referred to as software glue and compared to plumbing where it connects two sides of an application and passes data between them.
Middleware is frequently used to connect legacy systems together to share data, while the use and consumption of APIs is driving demand and the need for robust scalable solutions.
Application integration services are vital if your organisation adopts new technology or business processes and needs to seamlessly transition from legacy systems. At DeeperThanBlue, we’ll integrate your separate systems into a coherent whole to drive efficiency, scalability and more
Principles of integration
Software and application integration is an essential part of all IT systems, no matter how big or small they are. Fully integrated systems promote consistency in technology decisions and high-quality across software solutions. It also enables an organisation to maintain the highest level of standards in security, data management and operational protocols across the entire business.
Full integration also means that teams take ownership of their services and can manage software lifecycles and avoid external dependencies. By removing external dependencies, the integrated software services are self-contained and kept lightweight.
Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) is a strategic approach that enables organisations to connect disparate business applications, ensuring seamless data flow and process automation across the enterprise. At its core, EAI leverages a hub-and-spoke architecture, where a central integration hub manages the communication between various applications and systems. This model simplifies complex IT environments by reducing point-to-point connections and providing a scalable, manageable framework for integration. By adopting Enterprise Application Integration, businesses can eliminate data silos, streamline operations, and respond more quickly to changing market demands.
EAI is not tied to any single technology provider and can be implemented using a wide range of integration platforms and middleware solutions. Whether deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid model, Enterprise Application Integration ensures that legacy systems, modern SaaS applications, and emerging technologies can all work together efficiently. EAI enables real-time data synchronisation, enhances business agility, and supports digital transformation initiatives. By investing in Enterprise Application Integration, organisations gain the flexibility to innovate and the resilience to adapt, making EAI a cornerstone of future-ready IT strategies.
Styles of integration
Integration isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. There are a number of different flavours, and one will suit your needs better than the others. We’re here to help you understand the differences and find the right outcome for you.
Software as a Service (SaaS) Integration
Think of SaaS integration as building bridges between different cloud applications and your existing systems, whether they’re in the cloud or on your premises. By leveraging ready-made connectors and APIs, your organisation can create seamless connections between various SaaS applications, enabling smooth data flow and automated processes across your cloud services. Leading SaaS integration services include Google Cloud Application Integration, AWS AppFlow, and IBM WebMethods.
On-Premise Integration
This classic integration approach takes place within your organisation’s physical infrastructure. While it requires dedicated hardware and software investment, it offers you maximum control over your systems. However, keep in mind that this approach can still use a modern cloud like approach, known as Hybrid cloud, which helps reduce costs over previously expensive monolithic approaches that were less flexibile compared to cloud-based alternatives. Leading on-premise integration services include IBM Integration Bus/App Connect Enterprise and Apache ServiceMix.
Cloud Integration
Cloud integration is all about creating harmony between your various cloud-based systems and services, while also maintaining connections with on-premises systems. The goal is to create a unified digital environment where your data and applications work together seamlessly, regardless of their location in the cloud or on local servers. Leading cloud integration services include AWS Step Functions, Microsoft Azure Integration Services, OpenSource based solutions such GraphQL and SpringBoot can be found and run on most major hyperscalers (cloud providers).
Find out more about our Cloud Integration Support Services.
Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)
iPaaS provides a cloud-based solution that puts powerful integration tools at your fingertips. This platform offers everything you need to develop, run, and manage connections between different applications and systems. It’s an efficient, scalable approach that lets you connect cloud and on-premises systems without heavy infrastructure investments. Leading iPaaS services include IBM Webmethods, Mulesoft and Boomi.
Hybrid Integration
Think of hybrid integration as the best of both worlds – it bridges the gap between your existing systems and modern cloud applications. This approach is particularly valuable if your organisation is gradually moving to the cloud while maintaining some on-premises infrastructure, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting operations. Leading hybrid integration services include IBM Cloud Pak for Integration and AWS Outposts.
API-led Integration
This modern approach uses Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) as the foundation for connecting different systems. By treating APIs as reusable building blocks, you can create flexible, maintainable connections between various services and data sources, making it easier to adapt and scale your integration strategy. Leading API-led integration services include Google Cloud Apigee, Azure API Management, IBM API Connect and open source services such as Spring Boot and GraphQL.
Event-Driven Integration
Event-driven integration brings real-time responsiveness to your systems. It works by monitoring and reacting to events as they happen, creating dynamic, instantaneous connections between your applications. This approach is particularly powerful when you need real-time data synchronisation or automated processes that respond to specific triggers. Leading event-driven integration services include Google Cloud Pub/Sub and IBM MQ.
Data Integration
While connected to other integration styles, data integration specifically focuses on creating a single, coherent view of your organisation’s data. Whether you need real-time synchronisation, batch processing, or comprehensive data warehousing, this approach ensures your data works harder for your business. Leading data integration services include Snowflake Data Integration and Google Cloud Dataflow.
Each of these integration styles brings unique advantages to the table. The right choice depends on your organisation’s specific requirements, current infrastructure, and long-term technology strategy. Modern integration solutions often combine multiple approaches to provide the flexibility and functionality your business needs. There are a number of vendors that offer comprehensive platforms that cover multiple integration styles, including:
- AWS (AWS App Mesh and AWS Integration Suite)
- Microsoft (Azure Integration Services Suite and Microsoft Power Platform)
- Google Cloud (Anthos and Google Integration Suite)
- Apache Software Foundation
- Cloud Native Computing Foundation
What Is Middleware and How Does It Work?
Middleware sits at the heart of application integration, acting as the essential bridge that connects different systems, applications, and data sources within an organisation.
It is any “behind-the-scenes” software that enables communication between a device’s operating system and any applications that run on top of the operating system.
Rather than relying on complex point-to-point integrations, middleware provides a structured, centralised layer—often called the integration layer—that manages communication, data transformation, and workflow automation between disparate software components.
Modern organisations simply wouldn’t be able to function without enterprise application integration, whether to update orders, communicate with customers, facilitate payments or enable customers to track shipments. For these functions to work seamlessly, the real-time transfer of data between different devices is crucial. It’s also fundamental for multiple devices to be able to access the network – catering for the varying degrees of processing power, bandwidth capabilities and visual display capabilities between devices.
Middleware provides the integration and unification capability enabling all these systems to communicate and interact. While this may appear seamless, in reality it relies on the ability for middleware to communicate with a wide variety of systems. That means that it’s often essential for middleware to be cross-language and platform.
Key Middleware Components
Middleware and application integration systems use the following key components to support app development:
- Database Software
When a multi-tier system requires a database, middleware acts as the link between the client and server. This enables client requests to be accepted and passed onto the database server, with a response then passed back to the client. - Application Server
The part of the app that holds the business logic. WebSphere Application Server, WebSphere Liberty and Apache Liberty are some of the most widely used and deployed worldwide.
- Portal
Providing a selected audience with access to business apps, key information, instant messaging, forums and specified company resources, through an interaction tool, often incorporating permission-based access. - Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
The framework used to design, develop and deploy loosely coupled apps quickly and easily. - Web Server
By processing and delivering client requests, web servers are one of the most flexible and simple options to integrate different systems.
Middleware Types
Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM)
Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM – such as IBM MQ) is a software product based on a message-oriented architecture that enables asynchronous communication between distributed applications by sending and receiving messages through queues or brokers.
MOM is used in mobile applications to store and forward data between handheld devices and host applications, as well as between trading partners to securely transmit information such as orders, customer data or information about products between parties.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Middleware
A client-server interaction that enables the functionality of an application to be distributed across multiple platforms. Local programs can request a service from a program located on a remote computer without network details. RPC is most often used to execute synchronous data transfers, where the both the client and the server need to be online at the time of the communication.
Application Programming Interface (API)
Provides tools and protocols for creating, managing, and exposing APIs, enabling seamless integration between different applications. APIs allow a secondary app or service to communicate with the primary app or service – this is done without the need to know how the primary app or service is implemented. IBM API Connect is a comprehensive API management platform for creating, managing, securing, and monetising APIs.
Object Request Broker
Controlling the communication between distributed objects in different applications, enabling one computer to make program calls to another through a computer network.
Transaction Processing (TP) Middleware
Reinforcing the function of electronic transactions by controlling transaction apps in line with the database and enforcing the business rules and logic of the transaction managing all necessary steps to completion.
Integration Middleware
Providing an integration framework to monitor and control operations, executions and runtime services from several apps. A useful option to enable data from multiple sources to be combined into a unified integration platform that can be accessed and manipulated by users.
Database Middleware
Facilitates direct access and interaction with databases, providing connectivity and data management across various database systems.
Application Framework
Offering the basic structure to build apps for a particular environment, acting as a server for the app and providing the backbone for its development.
Portal Middleware
Connects front-end client systems with back-end resources, streamlining user access to multiple applications and services.
Device Middleware
Providing a set of tools to build apps to be run in a specific hardware environment.
Integration Platform/Application Server
Provides a runtime environment for hosting, deploying, and managing enterprise applications, often including web and application servers.
Content-Centric Middleware
Most often used in content-oriented web-based apps, it makes it possible for developers to extract a piece of content without knowing how the system obtains the content.
Portable Middleware
Providing tools and resources for integrating content and capabilities from various related applications into a single composite application, allowing organisations to create unified interfaces for users to access multiple systems and services through a single point of entry.
Asynchronous Data Streaming Middleware
Enabling real-time data sharing between multiple applications by replicating data streams in an intermediate store. This type of middleware allows for efficient data exchange without the need for immediate processing, facilitating seamless communication between disparate systems and supporting high-throughput, fault-tolerant data pipelines.
Need Help? Talk to a specialist at DeeperThanBlue
Get in touchWhat are the business benefits of Software Integration and Middleware
If data is central to your business operations, data integration and middleware will enhance the ongoing effectiveness of your business by:
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Improving agility
Integration allows your business to adapt more quickly to changing market conditions, scale operations appropriately, incorporate new applications or systems seamlessly and respond to customer demands and emerging trends. Middleware provides a framework that enables changes to be made easily to business processes.
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Automating business processes
Save time and cost by implementing essential automation for manual and time-consuming processes, connecting different systems and applications, reducing manual data entry, minimising errors and eliminating redundant tasks. Employees are able to focus on more complex and strategic activities. Customer interactions become smoother, quicker and can be scaled up more easily while essential cost-savings are made.
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Underpinning innovation
Integration promotes better collaboration between different departments and teams by ensuring all stakeholders have access to the same up-to-date information. Middleware technology makes the innovation process frictionless and faster, shortening product development cycles. Products can be brought to market quicker to gain a competitive edge.
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Making legacy systems more adaptable to change
This removes the challenge of relying on tired and outdated legacy systems. Middleware technology is also reusable as it contains common components that can be repurposed in multiple environments and across multiple platforms.
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Reducing time and resource needed to build apps from scratch
The use of common components means that apps developed on top of middleware reduce development time and project cost.
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Simplifying information management
Middleware technology provides a simple framework on which an information management system can be designed, built and deployed, while integration enables real-time data synchronisation across various business applications and systems. All stakeholders can therefore access the most up-to-date and accurate information in support of their decision making.
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Improving customer experience
Enabling a seamless flow of data between customer-facing and backend systems allows businesses to offer a more responsive service and a more personalised customer experience, leading to greater overall customer satisfaction.
Integration Middleware Solutions
There are many solutions in the middleware arena, each with different approaches and deployment methods. Some of the better known solutions are:
IBM WebSphere
IBM WebSphere is a suite of IBM middleware products designed to build, deploy, and manage enterprise-level applications. As part of the WebSphere middleware family, it includes tools for application integration, messaging, and transaction management, supporting both cloud and on-premises environments. IBM WebSphere Application Server is the core product, providing a secure and scalable runtime for Java-based applications. Other IBM middleware products in the WebSphere portfolio include WebSphere MQ for messaging and IBM App Connect Enterprise (was WebSphere Message Broker) for creating APIs and integrating transactional applications.
IBM WebSphere Application Server
IBM WebSphere Application Server is a Java-based application server that provides a robust environment for deploying and managing enterprise applications, offering scalability, security, and integration with cloud and on-premises systems.
IBM MQ
IBM MQ (Message Queue) is a messaging middleware that facilitates secure, reliable, and asynchronous communication between applications and services across different platforms and environments.
IBM App Connect Enterprise
IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE) is an integration platform that connects applications, data, and systems across cloud and on-premises environments using APIs and event-driven architecture.
IBM API Connect
IBM API Connect is an API management solution that enables the creation, securing, management, and analysis of APIs, supporting the full API lifecycle with built-in security and governance.
IBM Aspera
IBM Aspera provides high-speed data transfer solutions, enabling secure and reliable movement of large files across global networks. It uses a proprietary protocol (FASP) to optimise bandwidth and minimise latency.
DeeperThanBlue CXOne
DeeperThanBlue CXOne is a customer experience platform that integrates contact centre solutions, providing omnichannel communication, real-time analytics, and automated workflows to enhance customer engagement.
Spring Boot
Spring Boot is an open-source Java framework that simplifies the development of microservices and standalone applications, providing embedded servers and minimal configuration requirements.
GraphQL
GraphQL is an open-source data query and manipulation language that enables clients to request only the data they need, reducing over-fetching and improving performance for APIs.
Google Cloud Middleware
- Cloud Pub/Sub – A messaging service for real-time event ingestion and delivery.
- Cloud Run – A fully managed platform for deploying containerised applications.
- Apigee – An API management integration platform for designing, securing, and analysing APIs.
Microsoft Azure Middleware
- Azure Service Bus – A fully managed enterprise message broker.
- Azure Logic Apps – A cloud-based service for automating workflows and integrating systems.
- API Management – An integration platform for creating, managing, and securing APIs.
AWS Middleware
- Amazon SQS (Simple Queue Service) – A message queuing service for decoupling components.
- Amazon SNS (Simple Notification Service) – A messaging service for sending notifications.
- API Gateway – A fully managed service for creating, deploying, and managing APIs.
Why Choose DeeperThanBlue for Application Integration Services and Middleware Support?
At DeeperThanBlue, we build long-term partnerships and relationships with our clients, and offer several different flexible support packages with industry-standard service levels. Whether your business operates 24/ 7 due to international markets or has the need to get products to customers for the start of the next business day DeeperThanBlue has you covered. We provide remote Support and Application Managed Services (AMS) to our clients and their business platforms to keep them running and optimised.
Incidents can be raised via our UK Service Desk Portal, or via email and telephone. You will have full visibility of the incident ticket progression and support contact through our Service Desk Portal system.
Our support function offers a combined approach to issue resolution, instead of isolated technical response. We do this by working with you to get to know you, your business and your IT environment. We make sure you get as much quality and value from your investment as possible.
Integration Customer Stories
Replatforming a logistic client’s trading partner integrations to IBM ACE
Transforming Studio Retail’s Mobile App
NYK Group Europe – Automating accruals on a global scale
Howarth – Building for the future
The Fully Charged Story…
Greencore Group – Real-time production line insight
Enterprise Application Integration FAQs
What Does an Application Integration Support Agency Do?
An application integration support agency ensures your systems communicate seamlessly, handling integration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of middleware integration platforms like IBM App Connect Enterprise. By managing these complex connections, Middleware support agencies help your business operate efficiently and adapt to changing needs.
Visit our case studies here to find out more about our work.
Who Should Hire an Application Integration Support Agency?
If your business relies on application integrations and IBM mMiddleware and you’re seeking expert assistance to streamline integrations, resolve issues, and enhance system performance, DeeperThanBlue is here to help. Our team specialises in providing tailored support services that ensure your applications and middleware solutions operate seamlessly, allowing you to focus on your core business objectives.
How does Application Integration and Middleware support benefit my business?
Effective middleware support not only guarantees that your applications and systems communicate seamlessly but also minimises downtime and enhances overall operational continuity. By outsourcing application integration services middleware management, your IT team is freed from the routine tasks of maintenance and troubleshooting, allowing them to focus on strategic projects that drive business growth. In addition, this specialised support helps streamline the integration of new technologies and ultimately reduces costly disruptions.
What Are The Benefits of Software Integration Services from DeeperThanBlue?
Some of the main advantages of our enterprise application integration includes:
- Efficiency – Our team will clarify the integration process for you and increase the efficiency of your business processes.
- Opportunities – We’ll help you build upon your existing technologies to expand your marketplace.
- Security – With many successful integrations in our portfolio, we’ll ensure the safety of your organisation throughout the project.
- Vision – We explore all the elements of your system and create a risk log to outline potential challenges that come with integration. We’ll provide you with an action plan in advance to overcome these.
What Are Some Examples of Middleware Software?
Some examples of Middleware Software include:
- Application servers
- Web servers
- Messaging and integration platforms
- Tools that support the development and delivery of applications
Middleware concepts also underpin modern integration infrastructure such as enterprise service bus (ESB) and API management software.
What Are Some Of The Most Common Use Cases Of Middleware and Application Integration?
Middleware is often used to do the following in modern solutions development:
- Develop new apps
- Optimise existing apps
- Integrate critical internal and external systems
- Automate business processes
How Does Middleware Make App Development Easier?
Middleware can make app development easier by:
- Helping distributed elements work together in harmony to provide a unified user experience.
- Allowing different hardware, operating systems, and communication protocols to work together, while masking their differences. This ensures app developers have uniform and standard high-level enterprises
- that can be used to build applications to be run on different hardware and operating systems, while working with each other.
- Providing a common framework for performing various general-purpose functions, that avoids duplication and enables compatibility between applications.