The functions of a company’s value or supply chains should be integrated, i.e. the functions should operate on consistent data. In the old days, the value chain functions operated on their own data, and therefore, the systems were not integrated. Nowadays, databases make it possible for different functions to operate on common data, and therefore it should be easy to make integrated systems. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are examples of how to integrate the functions of value chain by using a common database. However, in practice companies have integration problems even if they have an ERP system. The Integration methods used in the course are the following:

· ERP systems and other systems that use a common central database

· Workflows that integrate local systems or distributed systems by e.g. using SOA service or other inernet techniques.

· Databases and applications with relaxed ACID properties. That is, data are e.g. not locked by transactions across a dialog with the user or across distributed database locations, but from a user point of view it should function as if the traditional ACID properties have been implemented.

· ETL (Extract Transform and Load) products that may repair inconsistencies in both operative systems and datawarehouses.

Other: