Application router meets straightforward data transformation needs
By Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 5/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Cast Iron Systems wants to make data integration as simple as plugging in a router. Using what it calls its "application router," the vendor reports contract manufacturer Solectron realized 80-percent savings over custom systems integration approaches, while British American Tobacco reported savings of $1.5 million.
No one is saying these devices will replace more sophisticated integration approaches such as application servers; enterprise application integration (EAI); or extract, transform, and load; but for relatively straightforward data integration, application routers allow users to forego—or complement—integration efforts that require development work or extensive support.
An application router includes these three components:
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A visual development environment for mapping data transformations;
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A connector editor for specifying sources and targets; and
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A Web-based console for monitoring and configuration.
Relying on standards such as XSLT for data transformations and XML schema for mapping data structures, Cast Iron's router supports interfaces to SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, and Siebel; all major SDQL databases; and document formats such as XML, EDI, RosettaNet, and UCCnet.
Cast Iron will take advantage of commodity hardware and emerging standards to prepackage basic data connections in a box. Because the database, network, and operating system are pre-integrated and hidden from the user, time-to-value is short.
Fred Meyer, president, cites data from Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner, which indicates 80 percent to 90 percent of all application integration typically consists of transforming data for relatively simple transactions, such as confirming a purchase order has been received. For such transactions, says Meyer, an application router is sufficient. Routers are not suitable for transactions that involve business process or manual workflow requirements.
Cast Iron is taking an 80/20 approach, developing routers to solve a few common problems. Using RosettaNet as an example, says Meyer, "The Tier 2 folks might only need a dozen PIPs [partner interface processes]."
