Middleware

Matthew Dunn, Ph.D.CIO, Intrawest

Executive Board Member,Hotel Technology Next Generation

Middleware Problem Space

• What Is “Middleware”• Interface & Integration• Previous Approaches To The Challenges• The Opportune Moment

– IT Industry Changes– Vendor Space– Hospitality-Industry Initiative

What Is Middleware?

What Is Middleware?

“Middleware is software that connects two or more otherwise separate applications across the Internet or local area networks. More specifically, the term refers to an evolving layer of services that resides between the network and more traditional applications for managing security, access and information exchange.”

Interfaces & Integrations

Look Familiar?

(courtesy Jon Inge & Associates)

Interface & Integration

Middleware Problem Domains

• Data Management– Network Layers (Physical, Logical, etc.)– Data & Object Standards (ODBC, COM,

CORBA, etc.)• Definition Management

– System-Specific APIs & Data Dictionaries– Industry-Common Vocabularies– Change, Change, Change

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,'" Alice said.Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't-till I tell you. I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'"

"But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument,'" Alice objected."When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean-neither more nor less."

Previous Approaches

• Localized Interfaces– Anybody Still Have Serial Cable Interfaces?– LAN data exchange– Enterprise-esque Standards– EAI & Purpose-Built Consolidators

• ‘Thin’ External Standards– EDI, GDS, eComm– Consortia & Collectives– Electronic Marketplaces

The Opportune Moment…• Data Management

– Network Layers: Debate Nearly Over (Internet)– Data & Object Standards: Broad Movement to “Web

Services”– Messaging-Minded Approaches

• Definition Management– XML Consolidation

• Portable Definition• Metadata-Minded

– Supporting Standards & Wrappers– Hospitality Industry’s Response…?

From The Internet Wave

Data Management Directions

Primary Web Service Standards

•Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

•Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI)

•Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

•AS2 (Application Statement 2)

Definition Management: Hospitality

• XML Isn’t A Silver Bullet– Some Broad Standards-Of-Use (e.g. ebXML)– Some Industry Attempts, but– Duplication, Competition and Divergence Already

Evident• Technical Challenges

– Range of Technologies In Use– Cost of Change, ROI of Changes

• Business Challenges– Costs, Time, Opportunities– Few Definition Standards– Competitive/Coopetitive Concerns

So: A Middleware Dilemma

• Middleware Alone Falls Short• Custom Implementation(s) Are Expensive• Duplicate & Redundant Work• Competitive Advantage Questionable• But Who Wants To Live With What We’ve

Got Right Now?

HTNG’s MissionFacilitate creation of hospitality solution set(s)

which are• Rich & Customer-Modeled• Comprise best-of-breed technologies from

vendor/hotelier collaborations• Develop and leverage an Internet message-

centric architecture• Reduce technology management costs• Anticipate multiple sourcing models