ESB

Short for Enterprise Service Bus, also referred to as a message broker. ESB is an open standards-based distributed synchronous or asynchronous messaging middleware that provides secure interoperability between enterprise applications via XML, Web services interfaces and standardized rules-based routing of documents.

In practice, this means that data files are passed to and from their destinations based on established guidelines that are common to all parties sharing the information to ensure that the data maintains its integrity as it is routed. The multi-language and multi-platform design of an ESB allows enterprises to process data between applications from various sources. Two common distributed computing architectures used by ESBs are J2EE and .NET.

ESB is an extension of EAI, an earlier form of middleware, but ESB adds several key functions:

  • transformation: The ability to transform XML documents from one data format into another so that the receiving party can interface with the data in an application format that is different from the one in which it is sent.
  • portability: The ability to share the data between different computer systems and operating environments.
  • load balancing/clustering: The ability to distribute processing among several devices so that no one device becomes overloaded
  • failover: The ability to transfer messaging functions to another server if one should fail during the data exchange.

Sonic ESB, Cape Clear Server and PolarLake Jintegrator are examples of commercial ESB products.

Vangie Beal
Vangie Beal
Vangie Beal is a freelance business and technology writer covering Internet technologies and online business since the late '90s.
Get the Free Newsletter
Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
This email address is invalid.
Get the Free Newsletter
Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
This email address is invalid.

Related Articles

Complete List of Cybersecurity Acronyms

Cybersecurity news and best practices are full of acronyms and abbreviations. Without understanding what each one means, it's difficult to comprehend the significance of...

Human Resources Management System

A Human Resources Management System (HRMS) is a software application that supports many functions of a company's Human Resources department, including benefits administration, payroll,...

How To Defend Yourself Against Identity Theft

Almost every worldwide government agency responsible for identity theft issues will tell you the same thing: The first step to fighting identity theft is...

Infographic

An infographic is a visual representation of information or data. It combines the words information and graphic and includes a collection of imagery, charts,...

ScalaHosting

ScalaHosting is a leading managed hosting provider that offers secure, scalable, and affordable...

HRIS

Human resources information system (HRIS) solutions help businesses manage multiple facets of their...

Best Managed Service Providers...

In today's business world, managed services are more critical than ever. They can...