WebSphere Commerce Portal V5.4 Solutions

64 WebSphere Commerce Portal V5.4 Solutions

3.1 Patterns for e-business

The IBM Patterns for e-business are a collective set of proven architectures that

have been compiled from successful Internet-based engagements. This

repository of assets can be used by companies to facilitate the development of

Web-based applications. They help an organization understand and analyze

complex business problems and break them down into smaller, more

manageable functions that can then be implemented using low-level design

patterns.

This section describes the fundamentals of Patterns for e-business, how they

enable architects to build successful e-business solutions, and where to find

more detailed information.

3.1.1 Introduction to Patterns for e-business

As companies compete in the e-business marketplace, they find that they must

re-evaluate their business processes and applications so that their technology is

not limited by time, space, organizational boundaries, or territorial borders. They

must consider the time it takes to implement the solution, as well as the

resources (people, money, and time) they have at their disposal to successfully

execute the solution. These challenges, coupled with the integration issues of

existing legacy systems and the pressure to deliver consistent high-quality

service, present a significant undertaking when developing an e-business

solution.

In an effort to alleviate the tasks involved in defining an e-business solution, IBM

has built a repository of “patterns” to simplify the effort. In simple terms, a pattern

can be defined as a model or plan used as a guide in making things. As such,

patterns serve to facilitate the development and production of things. Patterns

codify the repeatable experience and knowledge of people who have performed

similar tasks before. Patterns not only document solutions to common problems,

but also point out pitfalls that should be avoided. IBM’s Patterns for e-business

consists of documented architectural best practices. They define a

comprehensive framework of guidelines and techniques that are used in creating

architectures for customer engagements. The Patterns for e-business bridge the

business and IT gap by defining architectural patterns at various levels, from

Business patterns to Application patterns to Runtime patterns, enabling easy

navigation from one level to the next. Each of the patterns (Business, Integration,

Application, and Runtime) help companies understand the true scope of their

development project and provide the necessary tools to facilitate the application

development process, thereby allowing companies to shorten time to market,

reduce risk, and more important, realize a more significant return on investment.