Middleware everywhere

Do you hear about middleware everywhere, but you are not sure what it is? Let’s start there and define middleware.

It is not so easy to define middleware as you might think. In general, middleware is software that can link two separate applications together. It is in the middle of those applications, thus the term “middleware”.

The thing is that the term middleware has evolved and is now used in a wide variety of ways. Therefore, the best way to understand what “middleware” means is to analyze where it came from and discuss some specific examples of how it can be used. Let’s have a look.

The first generation of middleware dated from the mid-1980s when distributed systems started replacing aging mainframes. At that time, the term “middleware” referred to software that sat above the operating system and networking software and below specific applications.
In a way, middleware was, at that time, bridging the gap between the operating system with networking and the application, easing the development of distributed applications.

Traditional middleware software included Remote Procedure Call (RPC) middleware, Message Oriented Middleware (MOM), Transaction Oriented Middleware (TOM), and Distributed Object Middleware (DOM).

We could call this traditional view of what middleware is a vertical view. The operating system (including basic communication protocols) was at the bottom, and the distributed applications were at the top. Middleware was in the middle of these.

The contemporary view of middleware is more of a horizontal view. In this type of view, middleware sits in the middle of a sea of distributed components, such as applications and databases.
Middleware serves as the glue and allows this multitude of components to interact with one another.

Requirements for faster development cycles, decreased effort, and greater component reuse drive the creation and use of middleware products and tools.
These middleware tools’ primary role is to enable and simplify the integration of components developed by multiple technology suppliers.

When appropriately implemented, middleware tools can help to:

• Shield software developers from tedious and error-prone platform details.
• Amortize software lifecycle costs by leveraging previous investments and developments.
• Provide a consistent set of higher-level abstractions that are much closer to application requirements and therefore simplify development.
• Provide a broad array of developer-oriented services, such as security that are necessary but take up a lot of development effort.

But while the advantages of middleware products are clear, there are also some concerns.
The most frequent concern is performance. Yes, it is nice to have this ability to connect applications seamlessly, but how much will it “cost” us in terms of performance?

Connect Bridge is a middleware tool built by Connecting Software that allows you to create your custom middleware in any language with much fewer lines of code.
Want to build a Java middleware? That’s supported. Want to build a Node.js middleware? That’s supported too. No matter your preferred language, Connect Bridge has you covered. Just use any language that connects to databases via ODBC, JDBC, or Web Services.

Let’s see how it works. Typically, when building a middleware, the developer needs to use the API of the software he is connecting. The idea behind Connect Bridge is that the developer stops writing code for the API and starts writing standard SQL statements instead. Connect Bridge translates the ANSI standard SQL syntax into the appropriate API calls.

OK, this is a more convenient way to build the middleware, but does it come at a performance cost?
Thomas Berndorfer, CEO of Connecting Software, explains: “The idea of Connect Bridge is to make it very simple and fast. It is fast for the developer because they can become integration heroes in 3 hours. After all, they remain in their language and have to learn nothing new. We also wanted to make the resulting software fast. Performance and security were major concerns from the beginning.”.

Another advantage of using this kind of middleware tool is compatibility. A classical problem of middleware was the changes to the API, usually caused by upgrades to the underlying software. Having Connect Bridge shields the developers from these changes, as it is Connect Bridge that handles them. This is one of the main reasons why the tool is cost-effective. If you want to know more about pricing, fill the short form here.

Using a middleware is a more modern way of tackling integration projects. It allows for faster development of the final integration solution, and it ensures that the solution has fewer errors and is easier to maintain. In summary, using a middleware means better ROI for your integration project.
To see how this works for yourself, think of which software you would like to integrate and ask for a free demo.

1. What are some specific examples of middleware in use today?

Common middleware examples include database middleware, application server middleware, web middleware, and transaction-processing monitors. When you look at it, there seems to be middleware everywhere these days.

Let's have a look at one of these examples of middleware, database middleware. Database-oriented middleware is the middleware that facilitates communications with a database, allowing the end software to extract information from either local or remote databases. The application accesses the data through a single common interface such as ODBC or JDBC.

One prime example of middleware in use today is Connect Bridge, which, as presented above, is actually a middleware to build middleware.

2. How can I choose the right middleware for my needs?

Choosing the right middleware is pivotal for ensuring that your applications and systems can communicate effectively, scale, and adapt to future needs. Here are some criteria to consider when selecting middleware:

• Compatibility and Integration Capabilities: Ensure the middleware can integrate smoothly with your existing applications. If the middleware requires some programming, check if you or someone on your team are comfortable with the specific programming language
• Scalability: The middleware should be able to scale up or down based on your business needs, without significant modifications.
• Security: Given the critical role of middleware in your IT infrastructure, strong security features to protect data during transmission are essential.

3. Can I use middleware without coding?

Yes, it is possible to use middleware without engaging in much coding, thanks to solutions like the Linked Server option of Connect Bridge. This approach simplifies the process of connecting different applications, such as integrating other apps with Dynamics 365. By using SQL and T-SQL statements, users can effectively bypassing the complexity of direct API calls and programming. For more detailed insight on how to connect other apps to Dynamics 365 without coding, refer to the comprehensive guide provided here: How to Connect Other Apps to Dynamics 365.

Originally published in the Connecting Software Blog in Nov 2019. 
Last updated on Apr 30, 2024