I read this book because it was strongly recommended integration support. It's refreshing to find a book that accomplishes this.

This is an important book that serves two purposes: it is a solid collection of application integration models that should be in the toolbox of all IT/IS professionals whose job entails enterprise architectures or application integration, and it is a clear roadmap for those folks who have just been told that their company just acquired another and the systems need to be integrated into a coherent whole without disruption the business operations of either organizational unit. It serves both purposes exceptionally well. Bravo Ms. Brown!

Ms. Brown has given us a gift: a book that thoroughly describes the challenges of implementing integrated enterprise applications, and how to overcome those challenges using proven methods that address both business and technical issues. This book is divided into four parts: (I) Techniques, (II) Catalog of Integration Models, (III) Applying Integration Models and (IV) Appendices.

The three chapters that comprise Part I sets the context for EAI, introduces integration models (which are, in essence, patterns) and discusses the environment for integration modeling. I liked this part for the following reasons: it focuses on business imperatives, and includes risk factors from a company and industry perspective; it bridges both business and technical views, and provides a frank discussion of the challenges faced Enterprise Resource Planning and Chapter 15 - Integration in Telecommunications; technical discussions include: Chapter 13-Using Integration Models to Synthesize Industry Models and Chapter 14-Data Strategy, Warehousing, and Architecture with Integration Models. The case studies and technical discussions not only added a dimension of credibility to Parts I and II, but reinforced one another.

Sample artifacts included in Appendix B are valuable. I especially like the checklist of factors that indicate an increased need for integration, but the sample letters, and other documents are also useful.

This book is to implementing enterprise applications what David Linthicum's Enterprise Application Integration is to EAI architecture. As a side note, if you decide to check out Mr. Linthicum's book, get B2B Application Integration, which is a more updated version of his Enterprise Application Integration. I not only give it a solid five stars, I also recommend it as one of the most important books available on EAI.