Integrating the Enterprise, IS Function and IS Technologies
Course Description:
This course examines the current enterprise integration drivers, architectures,
technologies and solutions from a theoretical and strategic perspective. Sound
and proven architectures, patterns, strategies, and technologies for effectively
developing enterprise integration solutions are examined. Upon successful
completion of this course, students will have broader and holistic understanding of Enterprising Computing. Students will also be able to recommend organization computing solutions with best possible combination of technologies and approaches. In addition, student will be able to synthesize core knowledge modules they have learned in the MSCIS program and improve comprehensive problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills and team dynamics.
Course Objective:
•Identify and understand:
O The integrated view of the organization computing needs
and its relations with information systems connecting
suppliers and customers
o Business processes and functional applications that meet business needs
o Current and emerging trends of integration architectures and technologies
•Develop and improve ability to
O Evaluate and select integration solutions from architecture and platform choices, priorities and policies;
O Design effective/efficient IS organizational processes;
O Measure the value of information system integration
O Assess the impact of emerging technologies and standards
Recommended Textbooks:
•Enterprise Application Integration –A Wiley tech brief by Ruh, W.A., et al. ISBN: 0471376418
•Enterprise Integration: an Architecture for Enterprise Application and Systems Integration by Fred A. Cummins ISBN-10: 0471400106
•Enterprise Integration Patterns: Designing, Building, and Deploying Messaging Solutions (The Addison-Wesley Signature Series) by Gregor
Hohpe and Bobby Woolf, ISBN: 0321200683(Free online: http://www.eaipatterns.com/)
Case Study
Keep oneself updated with industry trend is important for IT professionals.
Industry experience is usually shared and accumulated via IT cases. Each
student should be able to explore, understand and prepare IT cases. One may
either create a case study all by oneself or actively contribute to case study
prepared by others.
Research Reports
Three research reports will be assigned for this course.A minimum of 3 pages (double spaced, 12 font size) are expected for each report. Each report should also come with proper title and references.
1or 2 points will be deducted without them.
Final Research Project
The final project should be an investigation of how an enterprise uses integration solution to solve its strategic needs. More details are in the document on course site.
The report should have 3000 to 5000 words, single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 font size. It should list all references used.
(Instruction for final research project)
Industry Solutions
Since enterprise integration is a competitive necessity for most companies, there is a need for a wide range of industry solutions to meet specific company requirements. It would be interesting to find and compare these solutions.
To examine an integration solution, it would helpful to keep in mind that to integrate information systems within and across organizations, we normally use three strategies:
1. Link existing systems together and enable them to talk with each other;
2. Encapsulate existing systems and transform them into Web services;
3. Replacing the existing legacy systems with ERP and IOS.
In many cases, we used a combination of these strategies.
There is a long list of enterprise system integration solution providers. Among them, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, IBM are the big four.
SAP is the ERP pioneer and market leader. Oracle started from relational database; It entered into enterprise application software market by acquiring PeopleSoft (the second player after SAP and it acquired JD Edward, the third player in 2003) in 2005. Microsoft originated as an operating system software producer; now it entered into the enterprise application market with its BizTalk Server. IBM is the pioneer of modern computing. It underwent major transformation in recent decades and currently focus on providing business solution as competition strategy. It also use open source strategy to counter attack Microsoft and other existing players with proprietary technologies.
Cloud computing and Artificial Intelligence are new technologies driving integration solution innovations. Software as a Service (SaaS) via cloud computing or migrating to cloud completely become options for organization to integrate their information systems. For example, many businesses found using Salesforce.com a cost-effective solution for their CRM needs compared with similar service provided by SAP.
Final Research Project Requirements
Investigate a comprehensive enterprise integration solution provided by one company listed above, collect and aggregate product features, reviews and comments from the academic literature, Web, or based on your own implementation experiences; write a comprehensive introduction based on material you collected. It should address:
i. The general architecture (better with figures);
ii. The chronological development of the solution, how it started, evolved to its currents status;
iii. What specific integration needs it addresses in different stages of its development?
iv. How it responds to emerging integration trends/technologies like Service oriented architecture, Web 2.0 and cloud computing? Has the solution already incorporated these new trends?
Hints:
To findinformation for your report, in addition to use Google, there are other online resources you can use:
Company website: for company history, white paper and technical documents
Hoovers: for detailed company information, its history, competitors, etc.
Wikipedia.org: for relatively comprehensive introduction of companies and their products
You may also use IEEE database to find many useful papers, it is accessible via university library website