Middleware is a type of computer software program that provides services to software applications beyond those available from the operating system.
The term is frequently used in the context of distributed systems. For example, when talking about cluster middleware. You can find some info about cluster middleware in the post about HPC.
The concept is also quite related to SOA.
It it seen in CSSTIAE topic 2023.58.
Middleware Categories
Middleware categories, models or service types:
- Message-oriented
- EAI
- ESB
- RPC
- ORB
Message-oriented middleware (MOM)
Message-oriented middleware (MOM) is the oldest of middleware categories.
You can read this post about MOM.
EAI
An Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) broker adds application logic integration on top of the communication control already offered by MOM.
EAI broker’s added functionality includes message translation and content-based routing.
According to ASTIC, were designed to solved the issues over a LAN.
The concept in the late 1990s. David S. Linthicum published the book “Enterprise Application Integration” in 2000.
ESB
Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) apply service-oriented architecture (SOA) to connect application software.
Compared to to MOM and EAI and according to ASTIC, it offers scaled up functionalities to work on organizations that have different offices.
It appeared in 2002.
RPC
Remote procedure call (RPC) oriented uses this technology to communicate between elements.
ORB
A object request broker (ORB) uses CORBA or similar protocols.
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External References
- Middleware
- Wikipedia community; “Middleware“; Wikipedia
- Enterprise application integration (EAI)
- Wikipedia community; “Enterprise application integration; Wikipedia
- Enterprise service bus (ESB)
- Wikipedia community; “Enterprise service bus“; Wikipedia