Today, businesses depend heavily on information technology (IT) to carry out their core operations, envision, innovate and stay ahead of the curve. IT, on its part, works to optimize data procured from multiple sources to streamline processes across business lines. But in this ever-evolving universe of technology, where different tools are used for different IT components, sharing data across systems remains a challenge.
But as a company, if you want to achieve the best results, system integration is a must. System integration, in a nutshell, is the process of unifying the software and the hardware modules to work cohesively as one software infrastructure. This cohesive unit is in sharp contrast to the several, disjointed systems working in silos that fail to decipher and work together with the data.
Best practices of IT system integration
Analyze your process flows
When going for system integration, it is essential to first analyze each system and then scrutinize the interoperability between systems to obtain an error-free outcome. Some points to keep in mind include if replication of data is unavoidable. A thorough analysis is a key to preventing wrong data from being entered as it can disrupt the natural flow of the events in a process. If you have deviations from standard processes, you can leverage an agile approach that can help in adapting to unhappy paths.
Perform a close study on the off-the-shelf APIs
To integrate any two systems, you need to access APIs. In case you are planning to integrate your system with an off-the-shelf package and there are no APIs present, you would need to develop them. Otherwise, you will not be able to access their system. Additionally, you have to keep in mind the API restrictions any product may have. Also, when using third-party APIs, factors like the frequency of updates, their size, and if they will have any bearing on your system are matters for consideration.
Do away with database-level integration
Workflow integration is a key to successful data integration. Because integrating at a database level can have multiple disadvantages. Some of the most important are avoidance of business logic and data validation. Others include erroneous record updates and the wrong reading of data. These issues can have a significant impact on your system integration.
Try to cut down on data duplication
Making sure there is no data duplication is the primary goal of a successful data integration project. These simple steps like enabling updates on one of the systems and then implementing the changes slowly can prevent the different systems from holding the same data.
Slowly roll out the releases
Instead of rolling out your releases in one go, adopt a staggered approach. Although this technique is fraught with challenges, doing so can help introduce the functionalities to the users faster.
By following the above steps, you can increase the efficiency of your software systems and deliver more profound business results. For more information, please visit www.massiltechnologies.com