Systems integration is a critical solution for the business management sector, bringing together   the various components of other subsystems in a company’s information technology system to function as one  unit.   Each subsystem has its own interface that must be integrated  and interlocked so that the capability of the entire system adds value to the  combination of the parts.     The task of bringing together the disparate subsystems falls to a system integration engineer who has a wide range of skills including hardware and software engineering, knowledge of interface protocols, and problem-solving . There are three main types of systems integration, each with its own function.

Vertical integration involves integrating subsystems by their function into specific entities. Vertical integration is usually a quick and relatively inexpensive method of initial integration. The overall cost of ownership for a vertical integration implementation could be higher because each scaling of the system involves a new integration.

Horizontal integration is also known by the name Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and involves dedicating a specialized subsystem that facilitates communication between other subsystems. When the ESB translates the interface connection from one subsystem, the costs of the integration decreases while the flexibility of the system increases. Horizontal integration can completely replace one subsystem with another similarly functional subsystem while transparently exporting different interfaces.

Star integration entails interconnecting subsystems. This method is also called spaghetti integration because of how the system integration appears in a diagram. Although more flexible than vertical integration, star integration is more expensive to design and implement, especially if the exported systems contain proprietary interfaces. The addition of each subsequent subsystem increases the cost, but also the flexibility of the overall system integration.

Systems integration is a complex undertaking and is comprised of several layers of expertise including initial conception, implementation, delivery, upgrades and ongoing project management. Experienced systems integrators will work with you and your company to complete your integration project based on clearly defined specifications for time period, cost projections, and performance benchmarks.

The work of system integration engineers begins before the actual development and implementation of an integration project. There are many consultations and discussions with the stakeholders of the company to ensure that any and all conflicting issues and requirements are addressed. The resulting project plan will results in a systems integration that works with all the present and subsequent components and development processes.

Development and implementation of a turnkey systems integration project involves risks, but throughout the process, the quality and quantity of the support services offered by the service provider can reduce the risks for your company. Ongoing and rigorous testing of each of the individual components of the new or upgraded system will assess how each part works with the other parts and with the system as a whole.

Systems integrators for IT work to successfully combine a company’s various systems used to input and process data. IT solutions also may include integrating inventory tracking systems, document management systems, unified messaging systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and data storage systems. The goal is to create an overall effective IT solution for the customer.