Qu'est-ce que l'intégration ? Un guide complet

Qu'est-ce que l'intégration ?

Dans le domaine des technologies de l'entreprise, l'intégration est le processus qui consiste à combiner différents systèmes informatiques, applications logicielles et sources de données pour permettre l'échange transparent d'informations, de processus et de capacités.

Bien qu'il existe plusieurs tendances en matière d'intégration, outre les méthodes et les supports, la manière idéale de définir l'intégration dans un sens plus large peut se fonder sur trois types d'intégration différents, à savoir :

1. L'intégration des données : Il s'agit de combiner des données provenant de différentes sources dans un format unifié, ce qui permet d'obtenir une vue d'ensemble de tous les actifs informationnels. Cela comprend également la migration des données.
2. System integration: This entails linking together different IT systems, hardware, and software components within an organization to ensure smooth communication and interoperability.
3. Intégration d'applications : Ce type d'intégration se concentre sur la connexion d'applications logicielles disparates, dans des environnements sur site ou en nuage, leur permettant de travailler ensemble de manière transparente et de partager des données en temps réel.

Les avantages de l'intégration pour les entreprises  

En plus d'aider les entreprises à connecter des systèmes disparates et à éliminer les silos de données, les intégrations permettent aujourd'hui d'automatiser et de rationaliser des processus complexes. De plus, l'intégration aide à découvrir des données précieuses, ce qui permet une planification stratégique éclairée et l'innovation dans l'entreprise. En tant que telle, l'intégration présente plusieurs avantages pour les entreprises, tels que

1. Efficacité accrue : L'intégration réduit les tâches manuelles et les erreurs en automatisant l'échange de données et en rationalisant les processus entre les différents systèmes, ce qui permet d'améliorer l'efficacité des opérations.
2. Amélioration de la précision des données : l' intégration garantit la synchronisation des données entre tous les systèmes, ce qui permet de disposer d'une source unique de vérité qui améliore la prise de décision grâce à des informations précises et cohérentes en temps réel.
3. Optimisation des coûts :l'intégration peut réduire de manière significative les coûts opérationnels en minimisant le besoin d'interventions manuelles, en réduisant le risque d'erreurs et en rationalisant les processus.
4. Enhanced collaboration: Integrating systems across departments and teams promotes collaboration by providing all stakeholders with access to the same timely and accurate data, thereby improving communication and alignment on objectives.
5. Business innovation: Integration enables businesses to leverage new technologies, such as the latest cloud apps, SaaS solutions, or even AI tools, by combining them with existing systems.

Most importantly, integrating the systems that various business departments might use can enable better data exchange and coordination between these different departments. For instance, a business might use an ERP system to manage internal operations and finance, the Sales Team might use a CRM system to manage customer data, and an e-commerce platform may be used to manage online sales. Integrating these systems will help the respective departments that manage these functions to work in a more interconnected way.
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Read more about how integration can help enhance the Value Chain of enterprises →

L'évolution de l'intégration au fil des ans

While integrations started as simple data exchanges between on-premises business systems in the late 1900s, often through manual processes or batch file transfers, modern businesses now create unified ecosystems of integrated data, SaaS (Software as a Service), and cloud applications (via APIs). Let’s briefly explore this rapid evolution that has come to define integration over the years:

1. The first generation of integration - EDI integration

In the 1970s, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) emerged as one of the first types of system integration when organizations adopted computer systems for data processing. Enabling businesses to exchange data in a paperless and digitized standard format, EDI is still one of the most effective means to exchange B2B data, such as invoices, shipping details, and purchase orders.

2. The second generation of integration - ERP and CRM integration

In the 1990s, with the implementation of enterprise applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems in the business landscape, the need for system integrations became more complex. Enterprises started to consider connecting more applications, systems, and data in order to improve business operations and development.

3. Intégrations de systèmes de troisième génération - Intégration dans le nuage et intégration API

With the rise of cloud-based applications and services in the 2000s, industries started to digitalize rapidly as commerce moved online. To meet these challenges and digitalize their business processes, enterprises started to integrate various new cloud apps and SaaS solutions that emerged while also seeking to migrate legacy systems and data sources to the cloud.

It became easier to connect applications using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which are a set of protocols and standards that enable different software applications to communicate with each other. Developers could now build standardized interfaces to connect and integrate software faster using their APIs, which provided a simpler and more flexible way to exchange data in real-time.

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Different integration methods: Point-to-point, ESB, and iPaaS

Les intégrations ont évolué au fil des ans, tout comme les différents types de méthodes d'intégration. Les intégrations sont traditionnellement créées sous forme de connexions point à point à l'aide d'un code personnalisé. Cette méthode a fonctionné tant que les entreprises avaient besoin d'intégrer deux applications quelconques. Cependant, avec la nécessité croissante de connecter davantage d'applications, la création d'intégrations à l'aide d'un code personnalisé devient plus coûteuse et l'échange de données exactes devient plus difficile à maintenir.

This led businesses to implement middleware solutions or software solutions, such as ESB systems, designed to integrate multiple applications, on-premises systems, and data sources. However, the advent of cloud technology and API integration capabilities would drive businesses to advance further by implementing cloud-based, API-led integration platforms called iPaaS (integration Platform as a Service). Let’s explore these different integration methods!

Les limites des intégrations point à point avec du code personnalisé

Building point-to-point integrations with custom code presents several challenges as businesses scale. This means each connection between two applications is built separately, and so as the number of these direct connections increases and starts to form a complex maze of crisscrossing code, data silos, and processes, leading to an entangled IT ecosystem. As such, point-to-point integrations present limitations such as:

• Problèmes d'évolutivité : Au fur et à mesure que de nouveaux systèmes sont ajoutés, le nombre de connexions directes augmente de manière exponentielle, ce qui rend l'architecture complexe et difficile à gérer.
• Maintenance nécessitant des ressources importantes : Les intégrations de codes personnalisés peuvent devenir difficiles à maintenir et à mettre à jour, et elles ne peuvent être développées et gérées que par des développeurs seniors coûteux.
• Manque de flexibilité : Les intégrations point à point sont rigides. L'adaptation aux nouvelles technologies ou à l'évolution des processus d'entreprise peut s'avérer lourde et lente.
• Data silos: The lack of a centralized system for integration can lead to inconsistencies in data, making it difficult to achieve a single source of truth.

To address these shortcomings of point-to-point integrations, businesses started using various middleware solutions, such as Remote Procedure Call (RPC) middleware and Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM), to enable communication between multiple applications. However, a popular solution that emerged from these early middleware solutions was the ESB system.

ESB solutions as an early integration solution

ESB, or Enterprise Service Bus, is an integration architecture framework that enables businesses to connect multiple systems and applications from one central hub (or messaging bus). As an on-premises middleware solution it requires the installation of hardware. It functions as a centralized communication hub that standardizes the integration of legacy systems with various applications, services, and databases. Since ESB relies heavily on on-premises footprints, older messaging, and aging document standards, they are commonly used by enterprise businesses. ESB solutions require dedicated trained IT teams.

ESB solutions essentially introduced an integration architecture that helped companies standardize how they integrated legacy systems with various applications. However, the advent of cloud technologies and APIs would necessitate a next-gen integration solution. And that’s where the iPaaS comes in

The iPaaS: A next-gen integration solution

In recent years, the iPaaS (integration Platform as a Service) emerged as a next-gen, cloud-based middleware solution that leverages APIs to seamlessly integrate multiple SaaS, applications, systems, or data sources. Unlike point-to-point integrations or ESB solutions, the iPaaS helps create, monitor, and manage integrations from a user-friendly web interface without any custom code or need for on-premises hardware installation.

As such, iPaaS solutions are either no-code or low-code solutions. This means it enable both developers and business users (CTOs, project managers, junior developers) to orchestrate and govern integrations via simple drag-and-drop or click-and-configure integrations. This leads to several integration advantages:

• Faster integrations: Enabling rapid deployment of integrations via APIs, many iPaaS offering a wide range of pre-built connectors that accelerate integration with popular software
• Infinite scalability: Being cloud-based and API-led, the iPaaS makes it easy for businesses to add multiple new applications without significant upfront investments or lengthy setup times.
• Workflow automation: Most iPaaS solutions help build workflows to automate thousands of processes between integrated applications.
• Réduire les coûts d'exploitation : Développez et gérez les intégrations avec des développeurs juniors ou des utilisateurs professionnels, libérant ainsi les développeurs seniors, et automatisez la surveillance et l'enregistrement des erreurs en temps réel pour simplifier le dépannage.
• Customize integrations limitlessly: iPaaS solutions like Alumio offer advanced data transformation features that enable businesses to customize their integrations to suit specific business needs.
  

Read more about the different types of middleware solutions vs the iPaaS →

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Le besoin d'intégration à l'épreuve du temps

In today’s world, integration isn’t just a technical endeavor; rather, it can function as a cornerstone solution to accelerate digital transformation and business automation. The ability to integrate any new technology makes businesses future-proof, as this means that they can swiftly incorporate new trends and tools into their tech stack, such as AI and ML. Integrations also empower businesses to leverage the full potential of their technology investments by maximizing interoperability and scalability. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of integration will only grow in significance, underscoring the importance of embracing this crucial capability.
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