Systems Integration Options

A surprising number of options exist for transferring data between foreign IT systems. Besides the traditional (and expensive) option of dedicated networks and custom protocols, several Internet protocols can be easily adapted for B2B transactions.

The appropriate solution for a given problem depends on various requirements:

• Time frame— How quickly must this message be processed?

• Transactional support— Does the calling system require immediate feedback? If the message fails, does the client need to know so that it can roll back any partially committed changes?

• Security— How sensitive is the information that will be exchanged? How likely is it that the communication could be compromised? How can the server protect itself from bogus clients?

Using only standard Internet protocols, communications solutions can be built on top of e-mail (SMTP), file transfer (FTP), and real-time object requests (HTTP/SOAP). The following sections detail the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.