This book's use of real-world case study vignettes really does go to the heart of the subject matter. This stuff is real, it has real applicability to real problems, and, as with most things in life, it shows how it all comes down to real money in the final analysis. This book shows you what your peers are doing to drive costs out of integration projects and to build new applications without re-inventing the entire wheel—just a few new spokes and off you go.

Legacy used to be a word that meant something positive. Careful application of the fundamentals described in this book can again make the word shine in its true light—as something of immense value that you never really knew you had.

This is a good book. Read it.

When you get two long-term, acknowledged experts on integration and interoperability together to lay out the current state of the IT universe you expect an immediate return on investment—and this book delivers. It's common knowledge that 90% of total software lifecycle cost is in maintenance and integration, and that needs to drive IT decision-making. With comprehensive coverage of the integration technology landscape, and clear case studies presented at every turn, this book belongs on every IT manager's, every system architect's, and every software developer's bookshelf.

Today's myriad of integration technologies and alternatives can be daunting. This book presents a framework and process for the evaluation, design, and selection of the appropriate integration technologies to meet your strategic business needs. You will find the templates a particularly useful mechanism to jump-start documentation and drive your decision-making process.

It is refreshing to read a book that presents a good business approach to the integration challenge facing most business leaders today, while at the same time educating them about the major components of the required technologies and management practices changes required. The narrative, examples, and templates establish a common reference point between the business and the technology organizations. A must-read for senior business leaders challenged with the complexities of business integration, as well as Senior IT Leaders challenged with shrinking budgets and lower tolerances for failures.

Integration has, and will continue to be, one of the success indicators of any enterprise project. Failing to understand the nuances of integration is a critical mistake managers cannot afford to make.

A much-needed book; it ties together the business and technology aspects of information system implementation, emphasizing best practices for really getting things done. I believe that both the technical and business communities will benefit from the in-depth material provided in this book.