The Future of Application Integration and Integration Servers

Integration servers, at least the core engine of integration servers, are destined to become commodity products because many perform only rudimentary functions. In an effort to differentiate their products, many integration server vendors are putting layer upon layer of value-added software on top of the core integration server engine. Thin adapters are giving way to thick adapters. Vendors are learning that it is better to hide the complexities of enterprise systems behind abstraction layers and put a business face on all the "geeky" little details. These abstraction layers save the end user from having to deal with the complexities of the technology and put the end user in a better position to take care of the business at hand.

Given this reality, when all is said and done, integration servers may turn out to be more about business integration than middleware.