System Integration is the process of connecting separate IT systems and databases together to enable them to share information and pass data between each other. Allowing your various business software and applications to ‘talk to each other’ has many tangible benefits to your business, such as the elimination of multiple data entries, automation of manual tasks and the standardisation of data across the whole organisation.

Number of Systems in Use by Companies Today

The number of software applications used by companies worldwide on average went up from eight in 2015, to 130 in 2022. That’s an increase of more than 1,500% in only seven years. (Source: Statista)

Poor integration between these many systems could result in bad data, the inability to make data-based decisions, ineffective processes and the risk of non-compliance and cyber vulnerabilities.

This is backed up by a separate 2022 survey carried out by Deloitte, which showed that the most challenging barriers companies face are difficulties in integrating various solutions (62% of those surveyed).

System Integration Through BizTalk

BizTalk is an integration platform developed by Microsoft which connects various systems and programs together so they can transfer data between one another. BizTalk is an on-premise platform with adapters and connectors that include support for SAP, Oracle and SQL Server. Its high capabilities have made it a popular choice for businesses looking to streamline their operations.

The main benefit of using BizTalk is that it allows companies to automate many tasks and processes through the use of its adapters and connectors.

It perfectly aligns with various business systems to streamline business processes and improve productivity within an organisation.

Why is BizTalk so Popular?

BizTalk is used by 12,000 users worldwide and there are many reasons why it has proved valuable with businesses looking to increase efficiency, reduce manual work and improve data accuracy.

Here are some of its key functions, and what has made it so popular:

1. Comprehensive Integration Platform

Its ability to support various integration patterns, messaging protocols and data transformation techniques makes it a versatile platform for solving complex integration challenges.

2. Flexibility

BizTalk can accommodate a wide range of integration scenarios, including B2B (business-to-business) integration, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), application integration, cloud integration and more. Its adaptability makes it suitable for different industries and business models.

3. Robust Message Box

BizTalk offers a powerful messaging infrastructure that enables reliable and secure communication between systems. The publish-subscribe model makes it easy for systems to automatically send and receive data, even with the most complex integrations.

4. Visual Designs

The Orchestration Design Surface is a visual designer that is used to design and create workflows, maps and orchestrations. The canvas makes it easier to model and automate even the most complex business processes.

5. Built-In Adapters

The wide range of built-in adapters enable the integration of various systems, databases, applications, and protocols. This eliminates the need for custom coding for many common integration scenarios.

6. Scalability and Performance

BizTalk is designed to handle high volumes of data and transactions. It offers multiple performance features to ensure optimal performance and scalability.

7. Customisable

As well as its high functionality out of the box, BizTalk also allows for custom development and extensions. This is important if your organisation needs to tailor the platform to your specific integration requirements.

8. Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem

For organisations already invested in the Microsoft technology stack, BizTalk seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products such as SQL Server, Azure, Visual Studio, and more.

Integrating With the Cloud Through Azure

With BizTalk being an on-premise integration platform, Microsoft developed a solution for businesses looking to integrate their on-premise systems with their cloud-based applications.

Microsoft Azure integration services provide a simple, powerful and extendable cloud-based integration service for Business To Business (B2B), EDI and EAI.

Azure comes with several cloud-to-on-premise integrations out of the box and can also be customised. The cloud-based integrations it can perform include SAP, Oracle, EBS, SQL and SQL Server. It allows you to connect with any HTTP, FTP, SFTP or REST data sources.

PSP's Expertise

We are proud to be a Microsoft Gold Partner in both application integration and application development. We are experienced and accredited in using Microsoft integration tools (such as Azure and BizTalk) to bring disparate IT systems together to reduce IT spending, improve efficiency and streamline workloads.

Our system integrators have been performing integration projects for a long time before PSP’s inception 15 years ago. We have a full team of business systems analysts who thoroughly look at the ins and outs of your IT system(s) to identify areas for improvement.

If you want to find out more, visit our system integration services page, or get in touch with one of our technical experts.

Email letstalk@psp-it.co.uk or phone: 01775722377