{"id":1911,"date":"2011-10-05T16:56:28","date_gmt":"2011-10-05T16:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/enterprise-application-integration\/"},"modified":"2025-02-05T13:59:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T13:59:28","slug":"enterprise-application-integration","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/enterprise-application-integration-eai","title":{"rendered":"Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span id=\"what_is_enterprise_application_integration_eai\">What Is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Enterprise application integration (EAI) is a design philosophy that prioritizes the ability of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/626\/information-technology-it\">information technology<\/a> (IT) components to share data and communicate with each other seamlessly.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of EAI products and services is to improve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/30458\/it-operations-management\">IT operations management<\/a> by reducing or eliminating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/big-data-silos-what-they-are-and-how-to-deal-with-them\/2\/33719\">data silos<\/a> and managing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/14653\/data-quality\">data quality<\/a> consistently across both local and external IT environments.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<h2><span id=\"key_takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>EAI design principles promote interoperability between applications, regardless of their underlying technology or architecture.<\/li>\n<li>The term &#8220;Enterprise Application Integration&#8221; started gaining traction in the early 1990s when companies first started to connect mainframes with client-server applications.<\/li>\n<li>Initial EAI products and services focused on establishing direct, point-to-point connections between applications.<\/li>\n<li>As the number of applications grew, however, this approach to integration was replaced by Enterprise Service Bus architectures that provided a centralized platform for managing communication and data exchange.<\/li>\n<li>Today, marketers may use the term integration platforms as a service (iPaaS) instead of EAI. Generally speaking, iPaaS solutions are designed to handle a broader spectrum of integration scenarios with more agility and scalability than traditional EAI solutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div>\n    <section class=\"toc-sticky w-100 bg-white \">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                 aria-controls=\"multiCollapse1\"\n                 data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse1\">\n                <button\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\"\n                >\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n                <span class=\"toc-main-title-permanent\">Table of Contents<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div\n                    class=\"collapse my-3\"\n                    id=\"multiCollapse1\"\n            >\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item current\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"what_is_enterprise_application_integration_eai\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_enterprise_application_integration_eai\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">What Is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"history_of_eai\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"history_of_eai\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">History of EAI<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"how_enterprise_application_integration_works\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_enterprise_application_integration_works\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">How Enterprise Application Integration Works<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"eai_types\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"eai_types\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">EAI Types<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"eai_models\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"eai_models\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">EAI Models<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"enterprise_application_integration_uses\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"enterprise_application_integration_uses\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Enterprise Application Integration Uses<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"enterprise_application_integration_pros_cons\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"enterprise_application_integration_pros_cons\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Enterprise Application Integration Pros &amp; Cons<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"references\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"references\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">References<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__container__disperse\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__btn-top justify-content-center\">\n                    <button class=\"btn btn-link d-flex align-items-center\" onclick={btnTop()}><p>Show Full Guide<\/p><img decoding=\"async\"\n                                src=\"\/wp-content\/plugins\/table-of-contents\/assets\/images\/arrow-up-circle.svg\"\n                                alt=\"arrow-up-circle\">\n                    <\/button>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"toc-sticky-list\">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-controls=\"multiCollapse2\" data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse2\">\n                <button class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\">\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div  class=\"collapse my-3\" id=\"multiCollapse2\">\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item current \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"what_is_enterprise_application_integration_eai\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_enterprise_application_integration_eai\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">What Is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"history_of_eai\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"history_of_eai\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">History of EAI<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <span class=\"show_moretoc\">Show Full Guide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"how_enterprise_application_integration_works\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_enterprise_application_integration_works\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">How Enterprise Application Integration Works<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"eai_types\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"eai_types\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">EAI Types<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"eai_models\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"eai_models\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">EAI Models<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"enterprise_application_integration_uses\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"enterprise_application_integration_uses\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Enterprise Application Integration Uses<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"enterprise_application_integration_pros_cons\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"enterprise_application_integration_pros_cons\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Enterprise Application Integration Pros &amp; Cons<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"references\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"references\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">References<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__container__disperse\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    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https:\/\/stackoverflow.com\/questions\/17893771\/javascript-sticky-div-after-scroll\n         *\/\n        (function (header, pageLegendCollapse) {\n            \/\/ set everything outside the onscroll event (less work per scroll)\n            const target = document.querySelector(\".toc-sticky\");\n            const targetListStatic = document.querySelector(\".toc-sticky-list\");\n\n            if (!target || !header) return;\n\n            const headerHeight = header.getBoundingClientRect().height;\n            const targetHeight = targetListStatic.getBoundingClientRect().height;\n\n            \/\/ -headerHeight so it won't be jumpy\n            const stop = targetListStatic.offsetTop + headerHeight + targetHeight;\n            const docBody =\n                document.documentElement || document.body.parentNode || document.body;\n            const hasOffset = window.pageYOffset !== undefined;\n\n            const applySticky = function () {\n                \/\/ cross-browser 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When the user clicks on the button, scroll to the top of the document\n    function btnTop() {\n        const pageLegend = document.querySelector('#multiCollapse1');\n        document.querySelector('html').classList.remove('overflow-hidden');\n        pageLegend.classList.remove('overflow-auto');\n        pageLegend.style.height = 'auto';\n        window.scrollTo({\n            top: 0,\n            behavior: 'smooth'\n        });\n    }\n\n    const handleScrollToTitle = (id) => {\n        const el = document.getElementById(id);\n        const headerHeightDifference = window.innerWidth < 992 ? -30 : -15;\n        window.scrollTo({\n            top: el.offsetTop - 60 - headerHeightDifference - 10,\n        });\n    }\n<\/script>\n\n<h2><span id=\"history_of_eai\">History of EAI<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the 1990s, business computing environments were characterized by disparate hardware and software applications that operated in isolation. The fragmentation, which created information silos, inspired the development of EAI as an IT market segment by the early 2000s.<\/p>\n<p>Initial EAI products and services used <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/topics\/middleware\">middleware<\/a> to establish direct, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.workato.com\/the-connector\/point-to-point-integration-drawbacks\/\" target=\"_blank\">point-to-point integration<\/a> between applications. As the number of applications grew, however, this approach became difficult to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/9269\/scalability\">scale<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In response, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5229\/enterprise-service-bus-esb\">enterprise service bus<\/a> (ESB) architecture was developed to make application integration less complex and more scalable. ESBs centralize the integration logic and allow applications to communicate through a common <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/system-bus\">system bus<\/a> that reduces the number of direct connections required for communication.<\/p>\n<p>ESBs can also be implemented using a hub-and-spoke architecture that puts the enterprise service bus at the center of the hub. In this architecture, applications act as spokes that connect to the central hub for all communication and data exchange.<\/p>\n<p>By 2010, it became clear that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24591\/service-oriented-architecture-soa\">service-oriented architectures<\/a> (SOAs) provided an even better approach to application integration than ESBs. The modularity that SOA provides allows software components to be reused, which in turn, facilitates a more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/decentralization\">decentralized<\/a>, loosely coupled approach to integration that can be considered &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/cloud-computing\">cloud<\/a>-ready.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In fact, by the end of the decade, many EAI vendors were developing cloud-based integration platforms marketed under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/29463\/integration-as-a-service-iaas\">integration platform as a service<\/a> (iPaaS) umbrella to differentiate them from legacy point-to-point and ESB EAIs.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"how_enterprise_application_integration_works\">How Enterprise Application Integration Works<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Contemporary EAI products and services have continued to evolve by taking advantage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/microservices\">microservices<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/serverless-future-cloud-computing\">serverless computing<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/ai\/best-ai-tools-for-business\">artificial intelligence tools<\/a>:<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Microservices simplify integration tasks by reducing dependencies<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Serverless computing allows IT operations teams to focus on managing application logic without needing to be concerned with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/server\">server<\/a> management<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/190\/artificial-intelligence-ai\">Artificial intelligence<\/a> (AI) helps EAI software proactively manage data flows and adapt to new integration patterns in real time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Today, many iPaaS offerings have drag-and-drop interfaces that make it relatively easy for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-low-code-and-no-code-platforms-have-democratized-the-power-of-ai\">citizen developers<\/a> to integrate disparate software applications with pre-defined <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24407\/application-programming-interface-api\">application programming interface<\/a> (API) connectors. Essentially, the connectors create protocols for exchanging requests and responses between applications.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"eai_types\">EAI Types<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Every EAI initiative should begin by determining which applications need to be connected and what data needs to be shared among them.<\/p>\n<p>The next step is to decide which type of EAI will do the job best:<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-accordion su-u-trim\">\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Point-to-point<\/strong> <strong>solutions<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Connect applications directly. This approach to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/16559\/application-integration\">application integration<\/a> is the simplest but doesn&#8217;t scale well. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Hub-and-spoke<\/strong> <strong>solutions<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Have a centralized communication hub that applications connect to. This approach is more scalable than point-to-point but can create bottlenecks if not designed and implemented correctly. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Enterprise service bus<\/strong> <strong>solutions<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Provide a centralized platform for managing routing and other data integration tasks. This approach offers greater scalability and flexibility compared to point-to-point and hub-and-spoke solutions, but it can be more complex to implement and manage. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Middleware<\/strong> <strong>solutions<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Often use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/25971\/message-queue\">message queue<\/a> that enables <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/17031\/asynchronous-communication-data-transmission\">asynchronous communication<\/a> between applications. This approach allows two applications to communicate even if they are unavailable simultaneously. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Integration platform as a service<\/strong> <strong>solutions<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Provide pre-built API connectors and cloud-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/data-management\">data management<\/a> tools. Over the years, the popularity of iPaaS integration services has been increasing, especially among enterprises that use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/155\/software-as-a-service-saas\">software as a service<\/a> (SaaS) applications. <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"eai_models\">EAI Models<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When implementing EAI strategies for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/30119\/digital-transformation\">digital transformation<\/a> purposes, IT administrators may choose an EAI type based on technical requirements and constraints and then select an EAI model based on business needs and objectives.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, the <strong>four most popular EAI models<\/strong> are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Enterprise data integration<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/30619\/enterprise-data-integration\">Prioritizes how and when data is synchronized<\/a> across systems.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Process integration<\/strong>: Coordinates and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/best-ai-agents-to-automate-your-workflows\">automates workflows<\/a> among applications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Service integration<\/strong>: Connects applications with APIs and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/why-does-loosely-coupled-architecture-help-to-scale-some-types-of-systems\/7\/32799\">loosely coupled<\/a> web services.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Presentation integration<\/strong>: Standardizes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5435\/graphical-user-interface-gui\">graphical user interfaces<\/a> (GUIs) across different applications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"enterprise_application_integration_uses\">Enterprise Application Integration Uses<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>EAI design principles not only support the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/5-myths-of-digital-transformation\/2\/33852\">concept of digital transformation<\/a>, they also make it easier to automate business processes that span multiple applications.<\/p>\n<p>Although it can be argued that iPaaS solutions have largely replaced EAI solutions, the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/631\/interoperability\">interoperability<\/a> continues to influence and inform the development and implementation of many iPaaS offerings.<\/p>\n<h3>4 Reasons to Implement Enterprise Application Integration Design Principles<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>EAI promotes the use of standardized data formats (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3schools.com\/xml\/xml_whatis.asp\" target=\"_blank\">XML<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3schools.com\/js\/js_json_intro.asp\" target=\"_blank\">JSON<\/a>) to ensure that applications can understand and exchange data with each other.<\/li>\n<li>An increasing number of EAI and iPaaS support tools have automated data transformation and mapping features that allow data to be used seamlessly by applications with different data structures.<\/li>\n<li>SOA principles like loose coupling support <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ituonline.com\/tech-definitions\/what-is-write-once-run-anywhere-wora\/\" target=\"_blank\">write-once, run anywhere<\/a> (WORA) strategies that make integration easier.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-low-code-can-help-businesses-automate-iot-networks\/2\/34705\">Low-code<\/a> and no-code API connections provide non-technical users with a standardized way to expose application functionality and enable integration with other applications and services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"enterprise_application_integration_pros_cons\">Enterprise Application Integration Pros &amp; Cons<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>EAI design principles can make application integration easier and support automation, but organizations need to weigh the benefits against the challenges to maximize benefits and minimize risks:<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-row\"><div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<h3>Pros<\/h3>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Provides a more unified view of data across the organization, which can lead to better decision-making<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Can eliminate redundant data entry and optimize resource utilization<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> EAI design principles support digital transformation by simplifying the automation of business processes across multiple applications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2 pros_icons_\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<h3>Cons<\/h3>\n<div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Sharing data across applications raises <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24747\/cybersecurity\">security<\/a> concerns that need to be addressed proactively<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Because EAI implementations need to comply with relevant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/10380\/information-privacy\">data privacy<\/a> and security regulations, this can add complexity and cost<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Implementing traditional EAI solutions often requires specialized skills and expertise that can be expensive and difficult to find<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"the_bottom_line\">The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the past, EAI definitions typically focused on ways to integrate enterprise applications within an organization&#8217;s internal environment. As the technology evolved and cloud computing became more prevalent, however, the meaning of EAI has expanded to include design principles and models that address a broader range of integration needs.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"man_faq_sec\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><\/time><section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is enterprise application integration in simple terms?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Enterprise application integration is the process of connecting different software applications an organization uses so they can share data and work together seamlessly.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What are the four types of application integration?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">The four types of application integration are data integration (synchronizing data across systems), process integration (coordinating workflows between applications), service integration (connecting applications through APIs and web services), and presentation integration (unifying user interfaces across different applications).<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is an example of EAI?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">An example of EAI is connecting a company&#8217;s CRM software with its e-commerce software to automatically sync customer data, orders, inventory levels, and financial records across both platforms in real time or near real time.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is the difference between ERP and EAI?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">The primary goal of ERP (enterprise resource planning) is to streamline business operations by providing a centralized view of core business processes. In contrast, the primary goal of EAI is to connect disparate applications, eliminate data silos, and enable seamless, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/intelligent-process-automation-ipa\">intelligent process automation<\/a> (IPA) across multiple systems.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div class=\"reference-content\">\n<div class=\"reference-heading reference-content-collapsible-heading\">\n<h2><span id=\"references\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"reference-content-body\">\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.workato.com\/the-connector\/point-to-point-integration-drawbacks\" target=\"_blank\">Point-to-Point Integration: When to Use It and When Not To<\/a> (Workato)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3schools.com\/xml\/xml_whatis.asp\" target=\"_blank\">XML Introduction<\/a> (W3 Schools)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3schools.com\/js\/js_json_intro.asp\" target=\"_blank\">JSON Introduction<\/a> (W3 Schools)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ituonline.com\/tech-definitions\/what-is-write-once-run-anywhere-wora\/\" target=\"_blank\">What is Write-Once, Run Anywhere (WORA)<\/a>\u00a0(ITU Online)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)? Enterprise application integration (EAI) is a design philosophy that prioritizes the ability of information technology (IT) components to share data and communicate with each other seamlessly. The goal of EAI products and services is to improve IT operations management by reducing or eliminating data silos and managing data quality [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7813,"featured_media":378185,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"definitioncat":[221],"class_list":["post-1911","definition","type-definition","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","definitioncat-enterprise-applications"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is Enterprise Application Integration? 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