Found some free time last Friday. So I decided to poke around Oracle Interconnect. Following are my thoughts about the Product:
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In all my previous exposures, where Data Conversion /Linking between heterogeneous systems was always a challenge.
So far, We have used the Traditional approach viz; The Producer (Legacy System or otherwise) of data will be placing the data in a predefined Directory (outbound) in the Server. Depending on the Complexity of the system, it can be picked and placed into the inbound directory of the Receiver's (say Oracle Applications UNIX box), Interface Tables. A Concurrent Program will validate Data Integrity and Apply Business Rules then inserts /Updates into the Actual Tables.
Any changes in the business rules, meant the Code has to be re-written. Data has to be transformed and then the Concurrent Program changes will be validated /tested.
However, Oracle Interconnect (OI) UI can be used to specify and design Transformation of data into Interface Tables. It parallelly invokes Interface Processes. Handle Error Data. Best part was this can be done in a GUI Environment, where you can define the Business Rules.
Hub-and-spoke model:
Similarly, the Common View eliminates need for Complex Code, as well as need for that each application or adapter knows about every connection.
I can relate this issue to a problem I faced earlier:
A VB Based Application was the "Consumer" - recipient of data - and Oracle Apps was the "Producer" - generating Data. Apps Updates an Interface table, with Certification Date. However, the date format for "Consumer" was different. Since the "Producer" was a key component, and changes in Apps could not be implemented in a timely fashion.
Error Correction
OI can process errors; better, It displays error associated with each adapter. OI can link up with Oracle workflow and send out Notifications.
Pre-Packaged Adapters
OI provides variety of Pre-packaged Adapters to interconnect with various solutions.
Conclusion:
OI goes beyond traditional methods and allows Functional users to design and develop a scalable Integration system.
