Enterprise interoperability

Abstract: Enterprise Modelling and Integration has evolved over the last decades from entity-relationship and activity modelling to object and flow modelling as well as from pier-to-pier system integration to inter-organisational exchanges enabling various forms of electronic commerce. The next challenge is Enterprise Interoperability, i.e. seamless integration in terms of service and knowledge sharing. The paper discusses modelling and integration issues to progress towards Enterprise Interoperability and shows how the CIMOSA architecture can be revised to host these emerging techniques and standards.

Abstract: Software applications interoperability is a challenge for modern enterprises. It needs establishing standards and protocols for data exchange between different enterprise systems. Nevertheless, since there is no methodology for collecting data, exchanged information is generally incomplete. Business process modelling aims at specifying object flows and processes inside enterprise levels and among networked enterprises. Enterprise-control systems aim at driving and scheduling the manufacturing resources based on information coming from the whole enterprise. However, the increased complexity of these models does not help to ensure coherent relationships between its components. In the current paper, the author will analyse how enterprise applications, models and standards used at different levels of the enterprise could be classified to come to a framework of many interoperability types.