Adapter Overview

To deploy the best solution for each aspect of a business, it is usually needed to purchase applications from different application vendors. However, vendors typically have their ways to format and expose data. Therefore, integrating the various applications across an enterprise poses significant challenges.

An adapter provides a bridge between an application and the TIBCO integration environment. Using a no-coding approach, TIBCO adapters enable packaged applications, databases, and other technologies to participate actively in the enterprise information flow, regardless of their data formats or communication protocols. Integration of new applications does not require programming and does not interfere with existing infrastructure.

Adapters isolate the application from more complex actions. Message transformation and business process automation can be handled once the data is published to the TIBCO infrastructure.

As shown in Figure 1, adapters allow for the exchange of data among different technologies.

Figure 1 Adapters Provide a Bridge for Data

•	Adapters are available for off-the-shelf applications from leading vendors. Each adapter integrates with one or more interfaces exposed by the vendor application.

•	Database adapters enable the database of an enterprise to initiate business processes based on exception data they identify. Database adapters also make data available to the enterprise.

•	Mainframe adapters enable real-time two-way communication between adapters and the rest business applications and databases of a company.

•	Adapters can also enable integration with component or object development models and other messaging technologies.