Integration hub v ESB

I know several vendors of software products who are debating the same question: Should they go all out to use Web Services as the only primary interface for integration? Each of them sells software products that have to be integrated with other systems, often legacy systems in already in use at their customers.

This question raises two important issues plus one interesting technology question: The first is just how real is the movement towards SOA's i.e how long will it be before the big majority of their customer operates an ESB with which they can contract? The second is how important from a marketing perspective is it that they be seen to be ready to participate in an SOA?

The interesting technology question is: How good are Web Services for integration tasks anyway?

To give a view on the first question - there is a lot of activity in the marketplace. SOA's are the subject of the moment. That said, there are very few implemented examples of any meaning and the jury is definitely still out on whether or not the approach will give an adequate return on investment.

The answer to the second question - how important is the market perception of a products SOA credentials - paradoxically this seems to be very important. So here we have a conundrum. In practical terms there are very few ESB's in use. The majority of customers of these software's will need an alternative to Web Services for several years yet. But purchasers will want to be reassured that when and if they do get there their vendors will be ready for them

The more difficult question concerns Web Services themselves as the technology of choice. Being XML based they are slow - very possibly too slow for integration use where traffic volumes are high and/or each transaction is very broad.

Being practical, in the short term vendors will be forced to offer rules based EAI or, if their customers will wear it, individually hard coded integrations. Wouldn't it be good if there was a solution out there that offered its users the option to start will a rules based EAI approach and phase in an ESB solution when the customer was ready using the same suite of software?