What is Data Integration? Best Data Integration Tools

Introduction

 

Data integration is the process of combining data from various sources into a single dataset with the goal of providing users with consistent data access and delivery across a wide range of subjects and structure types, as well as meeting the information requirements of all applications and business processes. 

 

The data integration process is one of the most important parts of the total data management process, and it's becoming more common as big data integration and the need to exchange existing data become more important.

 

Data Integration tools and their types

 

A data integration tool is a piece of software that allows you to do data integration on a data source. These technologies should be tailored to your specific data integration needs.

 

Data transformation, mapping, and cleaning are all performed by these technologies. Data governance and data quality solutions can be connected with data integration tools.

 

Here are the types of Data Integration tools:

 

1. On-premise Data Integration Tools

 

They combine data from a variety of local or on-premise data sources. They're also set up on a local network or in a private cloud. For batch loading from diverse data sources, the data integration tool makes advantage of upgraded native connections.

 

2. Data Integration Tools in the Cloud

 

These are integration platforms as services, or iPaaS, which aid in the integration of data from many sources into a cloud-based Data Warehouse.

 

3. Data Integration Tools that are Free and Open Source

 

If you want to avoid using proprietary and potentially expensive business software management/ development tools, these are the best possibilities. If you want total control of your data in-house, this is also the best option.

 

4. Tools for integrating proprietary data

 

In terms of cost, these products are primarily different from open source solutions. They're also frequently designed to meet the needs of certain business scenarios.

 

(Must read: Big data technologies)

 

 

How to choose the right data integration tool

 

Companies should keep specific points in mind while choosing the right data integration tool. Below are the following tips that will help businesses, and they are:  

 

• As a company grows, so does the complexity of its data integration strategy. In such a setting, business teams continue to add new web-based apps to manage your data, making it more difficult to maintain in the future. As a result, select software that can easily expand to handle new data sources.

• Customer data accumulates over time. Choose a data integration program that can simply be scaled up and down to meet your needs.

• Companies should verify that when they invest in a data integration solution, the software maintains sufficient security and compliance and that the company or customer data is not compromised.

• To boost the business's performance without wasting time, the software should include a real-time data availability function. Such information also aids in a better understanding of clients. Many data integration tools, on the other hand, deliver data in batches, resulting in a several-hour delay. As a result, this is a significant disadvantage, and businesses must invest in software that offers real-time data.

 

(Related reading: Top Data Extraction Tools)

 

 

Top Data Integration Tools

 

1. Talend

 

Assume that businesses are willing to compromise on real-time data availability in order to save money. In such circumstances, open-source batch data migration software like Talend is ideal for such businesses.

 

In today's e-commerce business, Talend is the most well-known open-source Data Integration technology. This program also includes a number of advanced data integration, management, and quality services. 

 

However, one of Talend Open Studio's most important functions is to enable enterprises to set both on-premise and cloud ETL processes utilizing databases such as NoSQL, Hadoop, and Spark.

 

 

2. Dell Boomi

 

Dell Boomi is the company's cloud-based integration solution. It enables organizations to easily integrate apps, partners, and consumers through the web, thanks to a visual designer and a range of pre-configured components. Boomi is capable of a wide range of fascinating jobs for businesses of all sizes.

 

It includes everything you'll need to create and maintain integrations between two or more endpoints. This technology, which is utilized by both SMBs and major corporations, provides a number of application integrations as a service.

 

Dell Boomi has a variety of connection and data management features, including private cloud, on-premises, and public cloud endpoint connectors, as well as ETL support. Businesses may use the technology to handle Data Integration from a single location using a unified reporting platform.

 

 

3. SnapLogic

 

SnapLogic is an integration platform as a service (iPaaS) that provides businesses with quick integration services. It is a simple, user-friendly browser-based interface with over 500 pre-built connections. A person from any area of business may use SnapLogic's Artificial Intelligence-based assistant to easily combine the two platforms utilizing the click and go functionality.

 

SnapLogic provides reporting capabilities that allow customers to see the status of an ETL process using graphs and charts. It has the most basic user interface, making self-service integration possible for anybody. 

 

The source and destination may be integrated by anybody with no technological experience. SnapLogic's sophisticated system detects any EDI problem and immediately warns the user and generates a log report.

 

 

4. ArcESB

 

Integration of applications and data does not have to be complicated or costly. ArcESB is a robust yet simple-to-use integration platform for connecting applications and data. In under 30 minutes, you can go from installation to secure application and partner integration using its easy, low-code flow designer. Plug it in, set it up, and go!

 

It has an enterprise-ready open architecture without enterprise complexity and secure controlled file transmission and EDI integration are certified. It may be used on-premises or in the cloud and no-code interfaces for ERP, CRM, marketing analytics, finance, data analytics, and data warehousing number in the hundreds.

 

 

5. Xplenty

 

Xplenty is a cloud-based ETL system that provides easy-to-understand data pipelines for automated data flows from a variety of sources and destinations. Customers may clean, standardize, and convert their data while following compliance best practices using the company's strong on-platform transformation tools.

 

Data should be centralized, transferred, and transformed between internal databases and data warehouses. It allows sending extra third-party data straight to Salesforce or to Heroku Postgres (and subsequently to Salesforce via Heroku Connect). This data may be retrieved from any Rest API using the Rest API connection.

 

 

6. Jitterbit

 

Jitterbit is a software as a service (SaaS) platform that simplifies communication between cloud, on-premise, and SaaS applications. The platform's operation is also heavily influenced by artificial intelligence. Users can get real-time language translations, speech recognition, and a recommendation engine thanks to artificial intelligence.

 

In Jitterbit, you may choose from a large library of pre-built templates and processes. Make new APIs and connect them to others. Share your work with the rest of your team. These are just a few features of Jitterbit. (Here)

 

 

7. TIBCO SOFTWARE

 

The services supplied by TIBCO Software may be classified into two categories:

 

• Interconnect Everything offers integration and analytics tools, as well as messaging and event processing, low-code apps, and process management. Data visualization, sophisticated analytics, and data management are all available with Augment Intelligence.

 

• Application integration, business activity monitoring, linked cars, hybrid cloud integration, ubiquitous integration, and other integration solutions are all possible with TIBCO software. 

 

 

8. MULESOFT

 

Mulesoft Anypoint Platform is a well-known integration tool among architects. Mulesoft may be used to build an application network, and by doing so, the development time can be reduced by up to three times. The platform may be used to create, secure, execute, and manage integrations that connect any on-premise and cloud-based services. 

 

The platform also includes a library of reusable APIs and connectors, integrated deployment from on-premises to cloud without rewriting code, data protection and access control via gateways or encryption, and data protection and access control via gateways or encryption. The Anypoint Platform allows you to manage all of your integrations from a single dashboard.

 

Mulesoft offers a free trial, so you should give it a shot if you're looking for an iPaaS that you and your team can use.

 

 

9. OpenLegacy

 

OpenLegacy converts complicated legacy systems into APIs or serverless services. Digital-Driven Integration is available on-prem and in the cloud with its API Software solution. Users may produce digital services from more than 50 different back-end systems using Automatic Code Generation, which requires no particular expertise or adjustments to old systems. 

 

Users can avoid complex technology layers and improve the performance of their APIs by using direct-to-legacy connections.

 

 

10. Informatica PowerCenter

 

A scalable and high-performance data integration foundation ($2,000 per month).

 

PowerCenter by Informatica is a fantastic enterprise data integration solution. It's a scalable foundation that focuses on a variety of data integration projects, such as analytics, app migration, data warehousing, and more.

 

Enterprises may quickly connect to and collect data from many sources, as well as handle the whole integration lifecycle for all businesses, from startups to large-scale deployments.

 

(Recommended blog: Basics of Data Warehouse)

 

 

Conclusion

 

Modern data integration technologies have moved away from hand-coding, and they all strive to make the process of creating a channel for seamless data flow between two destinations go as quickly as possible. 

 

For simplicity of usage, most products provide connections, adapters, the ability to establish, administer, and maintain APIs, and even templates. As business data integration must be safe, these technologies have emphasized security (while not claiming ownership of the data), and cloud solutions offer high availability.