Most small business owners are not familiar with the term middleware or what it entails within their company’s information technology. What is middleware and how much do you need?
Middleware holds the space between your operating system and software applications. It serves to communicate and manage data in distributed applications and typically supports complex distributed business software applications.
Middleware can include your application and web servers, CMS (content management systems) and similar tools that help control app development and delivery. Middleware is crucial for IT that is based on XML (extensible markup language), web services, 2.0 infrastructure, simple access protocol, SOA and lightweight directory access protocol. Middleware is sometimes included within operating systems and even apps, but its boundaries are still very loose.
To understand middleware better, here are the types you use probably on a day-to-day basis if you utilize cloud computing.
The most common type of middleware, database middleware allows for direct access and interaction between your software applications and databases. There are several connectivity options available.
Transaction middleware encompasses web app servers, and is becoming more and more common.
Enterprise portal servers are middleware that facilitate frontend integration and interact with backend services.
RPC (remote procedure call) middleware serves as interaction between applications and/or systems remotely, and is usually included within software apps.
Object middleware communicates between objects.
Message-oriented middleware is the infrastructure that supports sending and receiving messages via applications that may exist via varying platforms.
Content-centric middleware accesses specific data and is often part of web-based applications, similar to publish-subscribe ware.
Embedded middleware serves as a go-between for embedded applications and real-time operating systems.
As information technology advances for small businesses in Bowling Green, Ky. and surrounding areas, should you be concerned with having too much middleware in your system? The answer is yes.
There is a continuing excess of middleware and overlap in functionality among various kinds of systems as vendors extend their products beyond data integration. Therefore, types of application servers are becoming more indistinct. This can cause unnecessary strain on your operating system and software as your multiple middleware pieces duplicate functions. Also, such a variety of products require closer system monitoring in many different directions. This can be difficult for small businesses to pin down.
Remember, added overlap in system functionality can confuse methods of task performance for your employees and result in inefficiency within your processes. Until these items are streamlined and smaller sets of middleware products emerge, your solution is to attain expert IT consulting for your small business in Kentucky. If you own a small business in the Kentucky-Tennessee region, look into allowing ABR Systems Group help tackle your middleware issues in Bowling Green and keep your business running as efficiently as possible. Call us today.
