ABSTRACT
Comprehensive enterprise-wide integration infrastructure usually requires more than one technology. Typically, also, because of the existing technologies, we will have to use a mixture of technologies. When selecting and mixing different technologies, we have to focus on their interoperability. Interoperability between technologies will be crucial because we will use them to implement the integration infrastructure. Achieving interoperability between technologies can be difficult even for technologies based on open standards. Small deviations from standards in products can deny the on-paper interoperability. For proprietary solutions, interoperability is even more difficult. It is not only the question of if we can achieve interoperability but also how much effort we have to put in to achieve it. Technologies used for integration are often referred to as middleware.
