Many companies have recently found themselves worrying about how to connect their legacy systems to the cloud. The days when the same old supplier would provide everything are over – now we look for the best solution for a given purpose and need.
The first steps are often taken independently by the business function of a company when they acquire Salesforce, SuccessFactor and so on for their own needs. The integrator is then left to figure out how the data content of these new systems can be combined with the existing integration platform running the integrations of the legacy systems. Regardless of what change may come, the need to centrally manage integrations and application programming interfaces (APIs) will remain.
Data is moved by integrations and provided by APIs
Integrations move and APIs provide data that contains coherent universal units. For example, the same product data is used in multiple ecosystems: by internal company functions, customers and partners. Companies manage their master data – their most valuable information – in a dedicated system, or at least use separate systems assigned to different master data components. It is impractical to use point-to-point integrations between systems for everything, and integrations and interfaces should also factor in base data distribution to multiple subscribers, both internal and external. When this is not the case, it is high time the company takes control of its data.
As cloud services and data distribution via APIs enter the picture, companies face changes and extensions to their integration architecture, along with stricter information security and privacy protection requirements associated with public distribution and legislation.
The requirements of scalability and agile development have also reached a new level. Connecting all this with an existing on-premise environment gives rise to a new challenge called hybrid IT.
Boomi = cloud platform + agent
Dell Boomi is an iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) solution for hybrid IT integrations. Boomi uses a cloud platform and an agent engine named Atom to seamlessly connect applications in the cloud and on-premise. Boomi solves the problems listed above using different modules:
- An MDM module with tools for master data modelling, golden record creation and the building of coherent master data management.
- An API Management module supporting the building and management of APIs.
- A dedicated EDI connection and transformation module.
- A Flow module as the latest offering for work process management.
For developers, Boomi is a quick and simple way to make low-code integrations. Development can be started swiftly without installing a separate development environment. For less experienced users, Boomi offers online learning about its features and integration development in general. This all makes for effective development and effortless changes that are straightforward to export into different environments.
Boomi’s pricing model makes it possible to get started quickly and cost-effectively. Like other cloud solutions, Boomi uses a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model based on actual use. Costs are based on the number of integrated systems, and use is not restricted by the data volumes or transaction counts of the integrations.
Boomi adapts to different operating environments
Boomi can be deployed from its dedicated cloud service using any public cloud service as the platform or installed on-premise in the company’s server room.
The name of the Boomi runtime engine is Atom. The Boomi solution has excellent information security. When installed locally on a virtual server in a company-owned server room, for example, the Atom engine only transfers metadata from the integrations to the Boomi AtomSphere development and management environment. Atom always initiates its connections, meaning no data gets transferred between Atom and the Boomi platform without Atom initiating the transfer. All connections opened by Atom are encrypted with an SSL certificate.
The information security of Boomi has three areas: network and facilities infrastructure; application and platform layer; and data security. Boomi secures data against unauthorised access, uses secure data communication methods and makes data continuously available wherever it is needed. You can read more about Boomi’s information security here.
Interested? Would you like to learn more about Dell Boomi and Solita services? Get in touch and we will be happy to tell you more.
KARRI LEHTINEN
Director, Cloud & Connectivity
[email protected]
+358 40 5078 474
If you would like to work with Dell Boomi integration services, check out the job openings for the team in Sweden.
