User Interface

One of the wonderful realities of the integration server is that it is middleware "with a face" or, at least with a graphical user interface. This interface allows the user to create rules, link applications, and define transformation logic (see Figure 9.8).

Figure 9.8. The integration server graphical user interface.

Although the features and functions of interfaces vary from vendor to vendor, all vendors claim that their product simplifies the application integration process. For some, this claim is something of a stretch. These vendors provide only the most basic features (such as scripting and rudimentary administration) to justify their outlandish claim. However, the newest versions really do simplify the integration process and include such features as wizard systems to define rules and transformation, along with an interface that allows the user to drill down to any level of detail within any connected system. These interfaces can depict an application integration solution, including connected systems, rules, and message routing, using diagrams that bring the entire solution to light. More than simply setting up the solution, these graphical user interfaces also provide administration features, such as the ability to monitor message traffic, the performance of the integration servers, the status of connected systems, and mechanisms to route around problems.