Challenges Of System Integration
Rapidly Changing Landscape of Integration System
Day by day the IT landscape is become complex in context of software and systems. Installing system software with ongoing system is time consuming. So, by the time the integration project takes place, the software tends to get more complex with advanced functionalities.
How to overcome: To get the best result in this dynamic environment, opt for the short-term objective that takes care of different system connecting them through different sub-links. It would build up the full integration successfully. In case when you need to upgrade to advanced system, just investing in subsystem would work great, recent system integration approach involves using an edge computing smart hardware which feeds data up / stream as per endpoint requirements.
Building up Communications in Monolithic System
First let me explain what monolithic system is. It refers to the organizational environment where each and every task is being controlled by a single unit. Obviously,this kind of system lacks scalability as each task are interdependent. Integrating any system software to any particular unit becomes the highest challenge in such working environment.
How to overcome: You can either implement an API gateway that divide the entire system into microsystem. Deployment of microservices would handle different tasks in proper way. Whereas the API gateway would connect them and maintain the communication purpose. To apply this strategy, you must be careful with planning and picking up right system integrator.
Legacy Systems
Yes, that is one of the major and common challenges that industries are facing. These kinds of system are now outdated though they fulfil the operational purpose of the organizational productivity or processes. But the challenges arises when they leave no space for growth or option to add up new features. So, integration with such system is quite a hardship for the integration engineers.
How to overcome: Obviously experts can handle such integration process. One practised strategy is gradual migration. Though for that the system integrators must be quite careful and need intense planning. Also, legacy system can be connected with newer technologies through a middle platform. This platform would be responsible to divide the tasks under various industrial protocols as designed. Make sure whichever strategies you opt for documentation must be included. Often the legacy system lacks proper documentation that makes the entire tasks more time consuming.
Choosing the Right Integration Tool
The market is full of highly praised companies which undergoes system integration. But the reality is that randomly picked ones may not be appropriate. System integration is aimed to fulfil the present as well as future needs of the organization. So, one mustbe careful while picking the right integration tool. You need to look for compatibility, security concerns as well as optimization too.
How to overcome: You need to partner up with a service provider who is expert and experienced. They would suggest you a compatible system integration process that can help in both the current and future work flow.
Effective execution needs the experts who can offer customized solutions. Mostly, open-standards architecture makes your system future proof. Also, implementation is not the end task. You need to monitor the system after the integration is done successfully. This helps in analysing them and optimize as and when required.
Security concerns
Though this point is at the last, but must never be ignored at any cost. Integration comes up with security concerns but not addressing them can be one of the major mistakes that can be done. Anywhere that involved data exchange especially sensitive data need to protected in strict ways. Some of the common breaches are unauthorized access, manipulation of data, deletion of data or breaches of any sensitive data.
How to overcome: a comprehensive approach in protecting data is the right decision. You must adopt a proactive system that can take care of data with encryption. Firewall and intrusion detection, regular audit and monitoring, following security policies and proper training to handle data. Moreover, keep your software up-to-dated to get the advanced security features activated.
Wrapping up
The proverbs say “complexity is the enemy of simplicity”. This is well versed for system integration. As the processes are getting complex, the system integration is becoming complex too.
So, the secret is: Keep it simple. Server the purpose. Avoid big designs, unnecessary functionalities, and complex integration. And that can be successfully done with the right expertise.
ControlSoft Canada can be your strategic partner for implementation of any complex system in simple ways. We have been working for seamless collaboration and successful achievement of the work efficiency target of the organization. We even work with legacy system and transform the work flow into a better one. The experienced system integrators help you integrate various systems that helps in decision making processes.
Day by day more and more organizations are opting for the system integration for its multiple benefits. Whatever challenges system integration comes ups with, there are always ways to overcome them. Right partner can surely help you get customized solutions and make ways for better operational processes.
