Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) - Guide to Cloud Computing for Business and Technology Managers - page 102

4.2.2.2.3 Straight-Through Processing (STP)
This corresponds to a coordinated set of automated actions executed across
all relevant applications in the correct order of precedence automatically,
that is, without human intervention. It provides integration that is tightly
coupled and can be both synchronous and asynchronous. This kind of pro-
cess is commonly associated with workflow though it does not involve deci-
sion making or complicated scheduling. For instance, an order for a product
is placed on a Website; the Order Processing System (OPS) creates the order
and notifies the logistics and shipping system to ship the product. When the
order is completed, the OPS is notified of the change of status and the billing
system triggers a bill for payment. Once the payment is received, the OPS is
notified to close the order.
4.2.2.3 Data Integration
In this model, integration is accomplished by bypassing the existing applica-
tion business logic and directly accessing the data created, processed, and
stored by each of the corresponding applications. For instance, an Oracle-
based billing system can be integrated with an IBM-based customer order
system using the database gateway technology that integrates the DB2 data-
base with the Oracle database.
This has been one of the earliest models applied for accessing information
from databases, including
• Batch file transfer
• Open database connectivity (ODBC)
• Database access middleware
• Data transformation
The data integration model provides greater flexibility than the presentation
integration model; it simplifies access to data from multiple sources and also
allows the data to be reused across other applications. However, integrat-
ing at the data level necessitates rewriting of any functionality required by
each of the applications, which implies greater effort for avoiding inconsis-
tencies, standardizing, testing, and debugging for each of the applications
on an ongoing basis. Since this model is highly sensitive to changes in the
data models for each of the applications, this integration model is not very
amenable for change and maintenance.
4.2.2.4 Business Process Integration
Achieving business process integration is often connected with business
process reengineering and is not a sole technical problem. It, however,
requires the implementation of several technical layers as the foundation