This is the first in the series of Tutorials on Enterprise Application Integration with MuleSoft. In this series we would explain the concept of Integration in Enterprise Applications. We would also discuss the tools you need .
In subsequent tutorials, we actually use AnyPoint Studio and other tools to develop a real integration solution.
Let’s start with these two questions:
What is Enterprise Application Integration(EAI)?
Enterprise Application Integration is the method used for integrating components of computer application. You can also integrate a number of different applications and make them communicate and share and synchronise data and other resources.
With EAI, you have the technologies and applications you need to bridge the gap between two or more application developed using different technologies. Also the word ‘Enterprise’ indicate that EAI is adopted by organisations that span different locations, department, and areas.
Sometimes, the word ‘middleware’ is used to describe a solution that can be used to enable integration. This is illustrated in Figure 1. You can see that almost everything can be integrated using an EAI Solution. From existing legacy applications to databases and other Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) System.
Benefits of EAI
You can achieve the following with EAI:
Vendor independence – With EAI, stability can be maintained. This means that business rules and policies are extracted and preserved despite changing vendors.
Data Sharing and Integration – This ensures that data is kept consistent and available across multiple systems and platforms
Common facade: EAI can provide a common entry-point for several applications. This makes is possible to have a single consistent interface for access to the applications without having to get involved in the underlying architecture of each application
What is MuleSoft?
MuleSoft is actually the name of a software company that provides EAI solutions. Though, the name is used as if it’s an application!
One key suit of applications they provide is termed ‘AnyPoint’. This is a platform of integration product you can use to integrates applications, software, APIs and more. This is actually what we would be learning in this tutorial series.
In 2018, Salesforce acquire MuleSoft. However the services provided remains the same. Salesforce provides the architecture shown in Figure 2 below. So you can see that there seems to be no limit to what can be integrated.
- Software-as-a-Services apps
- Applications
- Web Services
- Infractructure, mainframes
- Legacy Systems
- Back office apps
- Databases
- FTP, files etc
- and more…
What you can do with MuleSoft
We can actually do much with MuleSoft. For example:
- Integrate applications
- Design APIs
- Build and Test APIs
- Expose APIs on the cloud
- Provides access to a library of APIs
How This Course is Arranged
This course is arranged as a procedure-based-learning(PBL) course. So we would actually be doing lots of hands-on as we go. Also the procedure is provided, making it easy to follow the lesson.
I would recommend you bookmark this page. Also subscribe to the video lessons. Link to the first video is provided below. Also feel free to ask for support anytime. We would provide you needed assistance.