| Not sure what to do with aging software systems? | | | | they should. Without diminishing the role that IT |
| The 1930's was a controversial time in pre-war | | | | professionals play, they rarely have the time or |
| Moscow. The city was booming, but immensely | | | | resources necessary to build integrated systems. In |
| overcrowded. Like many cities of the time, managing | | | | most organizations, the IT department spends most of |
| utilities, garbage, transportation, and the city's image, all | | | | its time troubleshooting issues, or working with |
| while promoting growth and commerce, seemed like | | | | compatibility problems between incompatible |
| impossibly conflicting tasks. But new technologies and | | | | applications. |
| systems were emerging that promised to provide | | | | In having an integrated system built, not only do you |
| some short-term and long-term solutions. | | | | benefit, but it makes your IT department's job easier. |
| Unfortunately, for Moscow to successfully deploy its | | | | The added capability of integrated systems increases |
| plan the city either had to destroy almost a hundred | | | | up-time and increases your ability to accomplish your |
| large residential, historic and industry-type buildings, or | | | | goals. Also, the added efficiency increases the value |
| figure out a way to move them. | | | | of the product over a longer period of time. Properly |
| This process required the removal and relocation of | | | | integrated systems have a huge return on investment, |
| many large structures, including large brick apartment | | | | both in measureable and less tangible results. |
| blocks that were up to ten stories tall. Each had to be | | | | As in Moscow's redevelopment, old systems do not |
| carefully lifted onto giant sleds and carefully moved | | | | need to be thrown away. Instead, they can be moved |
| into its new position, sometimes requiring careful turning | | | | to a place that creates more functionality for the |
| and maneuvering. | | | | organization as a whole. Software integration can |
| At the time, and even now, it was a major | | | | bridge the gap between old and new, or it can help |
| achievement, and was one of the first uses of | | | | build entirely new systems that require interaction with |
| hydraulic jacks in Russia. | | | | third-party systems. |
| In fact, many of these buildings were reportedly | | | | Potential Dangers and Pitfalls |
| moved without even needing to disconnect power, | | | | One of the dangers in developing software that |
| water or sewer lines. | | | | integrates with third-party applications is that designers |
| As a result, many of Moscow's major streets were | | | | generally assume that the third party system is always |
| widened, public transportation systems were put in | | | | going to work as intended. Instead, designers and |
| place, and improved flood prevention systems were | | | | programmers need to plan for what will happen should |
| built. | | | | a required system be temporarily unavailable. |
| Almost 80 years later, we are often faced with similar | | | | For example, payment card systems, which help |
| troubles in the technology industry. We have giant | | | | process online credit card payments, do not always |
| legacy systems, but they are now hindering our long | | | | work as intended. On occasion, they will be down, |
| term growth or are too inadaptable to manage | | | | reject valid entries, or in some other way be unable to |
| modern and future needs. | | | | process an entry. Properly designed software will be |
| As businesses, we need a technology redevelopment | | | | able to manage such downtimes, but it is surprising |
| plan that can integrate new system software without | | | | how frequently systems are built that fail to take into |
| totally destroying legacy systems, or requiring | | | | account likely problems. |
| expensive reconstruction. | | | | Second, it is not always a good idea to put this on your |
| In the same way that Moscow once managed to | | | | current IT department. Jumping back to the Moscow |
| move giant buildings without disabling them, new | | | | redevelopment analogy: Moscow, I assume, had a |
| technology infrastructure can also be built so that it | | | | department of housing. This department probably |
| integrates properly with existing systems. This includes | | | | managed construction permits, zoning, and related |
| updating enterprise level software, such as banking | | | | issues. Similarly, your IT department manages existing |
| software, or medical records tracking, so that no data | | | | systems and ensures that they are functioning as they |
| is lost and aging systems can benefit from new | | | | should. However, you would never ask the department |
| technologies. | | | | of housing to suddenly change their role and start |
| Software Integration | | | | moving ten story buildings. You would call in a |
| Software integration describes the process of bringing | | | | construction crew that specialized in that kind of work. |
| multiple separate systems, or components, into one | | | | In the same manner you should think about calling in a |
| main system. This can be done through manual | | | | specialized crew to handle your expanding IT and |
| programming, or through networking, enterprise | | | | integration needs. |
| application integration, or business process | | | | Of course, the specialized crew would work along |
| management. | | | | with, or under, the local authority, so that everyone |
| A simple example of software integration is in | | | | understood what was happening and what needed to |
| ecommerce. An ecommerce system involves a few | | | | happen. Specialists are able to get things done quickly |
| major elements: a website, a product management | | | | and properly, and save your entire organization time |
| system, a payment system, and a distribution system. | | | | and money integrating systems quickly and properly. |
| If each of these function as isolated elements, then | | | | Often times it seems tempting to keep a project |
| management must monitor each of these separately | | | | entirely in house. However, doing so generally requires |
| which is time consuming and inefficient. Also, there | | | | expanding the IT department in order to give them the |
| needs to be a manual communication channel | | | | time and resources needed to complete the project. |
| between each element. If a product is purchased on | | | | While it may seem right to expand your IT department, |
| the site, then you must wait until payment is verified, | | | | what many companies don't consider in their return on |
| and then notify the warehouse which then sends the | | | | investment calculation is all the additional investment |
| product to shipping. | | | | that must be made in areas of skills training, software |
| Integrated systems can manage each of these | | | | and experience that goes into successfully navigating |
| elements automatically. As soon as a purchase is | | | | the actions to take when integrating new systems with |
| entered, it would gain purchase confirmation, notify the | | | | old. You have to understand both systems and as |
| warehouse, automatically update your inventory data, | | | | technically challenging as it is to keep abreast of new |
| print a shipping label and have the item ready for | | | | technologies, it is even more complex to understand |
| shipping. It could then easily provide tracking, and better | | | | how to get new technologies to work with old. |
| data and information management on the entire | | | | Software integration specialists can manage the |
| workflow. | | | | intricacies in the workings between various programs. |
| Integrated software systems are built to work with | | | | Almost every piece of software needs to integrate |
| your current internal software, as well as with outside | | | | – communicate – with something else. Whether it |
| or 3rd party vendors whenever possible, and they | | | | is an external database, an operating system, a |
| streamline your entire operation. | | | | payment system, pieces of hardware, or even the |
| Benefits of Integrated Systems | | | | Apple® app store, integration needs to be done |
| In many businesses, the IT department is in charge of | | | | properly to ensure that you get the most value |
| making sure that these systems are all functioning as | | | | possible out of your software investment. |