Dell holds an annual Boomi World event that offers the latest information, training and best practices for working with the cloud-based Boomi integration service. Reima and Atte from the Solita integration team headed off to Boomi World to get the scoop. They managed to find a highly universal guideline for developing with a service. This blog post lists good practices every Boomi developer should apply in integration implementations.
1. Build integrations that are easy to understand
Create uniform processes so the purpose of the integration is easily understood. This also helps with the induction of other developers.
2. Build horizontal paths for successful integration
Processes should be built in a way that makes the normal path of integration horizontal and the exceptions vertical. This makes it easy to visually identify the basic case for integration at a single glance. In addition, test cases are easier to track visually in Boomi.
3. Iterate, build piece-by-piece and test continuously
Develop the integration in small pieces and keep the testing going. This allows you to detect potential issues quickly and early in the integration’s development. You can use the Boomi testing tools to easily test the integration every time you commit code.
4. Reuse components
Connectors enable process connections with the systems being integrated. You should organise connectors into a sensible directory structure to form a shared understanding of where each component should be located. This avoids confusion and duplicates. The specific parameters of the connectors can be set for each environment.
5. Build consistent processes
Processes are easier to reuse when they are divided into smaller components. Processes that are clearly reusable should be organised in a structure of their own to make them easy to find and use.
6. Use extensions for easier maintenance
Boomi uses extensions to set environment-specific parameters for connectors. Extensions should be used to maintain integrations across multiple environments, as this reduces the risk of human error. Integrations will be easy to install when configurations are effortless to find in a single location and consistent within an environment.
7. Build idempotent integrations
Design integrations to operate in a way that always gives the same result for the same input.
8. Identify errors
Prepare for errors early on. Consider what can go wrong and take precautions. Make sure that integrations can handle errors and recover from them.
9. Get to know the product
Learn to use the options offered by the Boomi platform. Reviewing your training material prepares you for integration development and primes you for using Boomi. You will learn how to best use the features of the platform by experimenting and testing its limits. For example, you should not confuse the Set Property component with the properties required by connectors, which are set individually for each connector.
10. Reuse data
You may also be able to reuse the data being integrated. Keep an eye out for repeating data models and use the Master Data Management module in Dell Boomi if you think the data you are using could be useful elsewhere in your organisation.
11. Use loose coupling
Sometimes integrations will require the use of loose coupling. Boomi offers three methods for this:
- Atom Queues – The dedicated queue feature of the Dell Boomi platform integrated into the Atom engine. Allows messages to be sent asynchronously between processes.
- Web Services The WS interface can be used to mask a service, hiding the internal implementation of a service from the integration processes using it.
- Dynamic routing with the Process Route component. In dynamic routing, you can use message contents to control processes.
The blog authors, Atte and Jere, work with integrations at Solita. If you would like to work with Dell Boomi integration services, check out the job openings for the team in Sweden.
