 |
|
|
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
 |
|
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
||
 |
Your independent resource on business integration and network computing through middleware and message brokering
A CTO reflects on the evolution of middleware
Nick Denning
Chief Technology Officer
Strategic Thought
Management introduction
Nick Denning is the Chief Technical Officer of Strategic Thought (Wimbledon, UK) which he founded in 1987, having previously worked for Logica. Strategic Thought, since inception, has been involved with 'big software', from Tuxedo (in its various guises/owners including BEA where the company helped BEA set up in the UK and ran its European support center for a year) to Oracle to IBM and Microsoft.
Strategic Thought initially was primarily a services provider with a specialization in high availability and transaction middleware implementations. In 2001 Strategic Thought launched its first product, called Active Risk Manager. This is now a leading enterprise risk management solution, with customers from backgrounds as diverse as NASA, Lockheed Martin, the UK's Ministry of Defence, London Underground, Thames Water, Nestlé and BP.
In this discussion, Mr. Denning reviews 20+ years of working with middleware (of one form or another). He looks back, but also forward to examine what is happening today and what he thinks must evolve for tomorrow. In particular he emphasizes the need for a rethink of the role and responsibilities for 'architects' within an enterprise.
There are no figures associated with this analysis
Management conclusion
From Mr. Denning's perspective the real issue about middleware is that it should enable the decoupling of applications and thereby the satisfaction of the business processes that are the heart of any organization's ability to function. When you cannot change either ends - perhaps because the client end and the server end are in different organizations - there is a constant and real risk that middleware is inhibiting business flexibility. This is no longer acceptable to most organizations.
In addition, he makes the point that the role of the IT architect must change. This role must take on a greater 'business process' dimension and sit between business users and developers. Such architects should also be the custodian's of observance of the enterprise architecture.
Middleware may seem to have disappeared from the radar screen that covers publicity. Nevertheless, as Mr. Denning shows, middleware is alive and very much kicking, albeit addressing ever larger problem spaces.