To provide true middleware functionality, an application must support the transfer of a message from one protocol to another while routing and formatting. For instance, a middleware application can provide the routing intelligence while using a transport service such as IBM's MQ Series to perform the actual transport, or the transport control processes can be built into the middleware application itself. And, the distribution process can either be Conversational, Request and Reply, Publish and Subscribe or Store and Forward.
Middleware supports the application, presentation and session layers, and may involve some portion of the transport layer. The application, presentation and session layers can contain:
- Fourth Generation Languages (4GL)
- Object Request Brokers (ORB)
- Transaction Processing (TP) Monitors
- Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) such as DCE, T-RPC, and Netview
- Message Systems
Service Offerings
Benchmark specializes in providing middleware solutions on the following platform/technologies:
Benchmark offers four major and different types of Middleware Services viz. FSA Compliance Consulting, Message-oriented, RPC-Based and Object-Based.
FSA Compliance Consulting
We offer a strategic tailored service to ensure that high-calibre Compliance, Risk and Audit candidates are placed with our clients covering the majority of areas within Financial Services. We have developed a reputation for excellence with one of our clients (a leading international bank) by providing the best compliance consultancy on a major regulatory change project. Our detailed technical knowledge in the compliance field is up to date. We also work closely with European training firms and risk consultancies.
Message-oriented Middleware (MOM) Service
Message-oriented Middleware service enables to move data, packaged as messages between independent applications on heterogeneous platforms and operating systems, and across disparate networks with a guarantee of delivery. The high level characteristics of the services include:
- Availability on multiple platforms (Hardware, Networks, Protocol Differences, Architectures, Operating Systems, Databases and Other Application Services)
- Reliable data transfer
- Adaptable bandwidth
- Multiple communication structures
- Naming conventions
- Move data as transactions
Message-oriented middleware services exchange data in a reliable and secure manner between applications on disparate platforms and networks, either through message queues or on a Message Bus.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Middleware Service
RPC services offer a general sense to describe Request / Reply Middleware with basic data-type translation and connection-oriented communication services and can also refer to products that use an Interface Definition Language (IDL) to describe the argument lists for outgoing and incoming parameters.
RPCs can also be included with network operating systems and other network computing environments. RPCs, or RPC-like functionality, can be embedded in several different products, such as TP Monitors, development and run-time environments, multipurpose Middleware, and application packages.
Object Request Broker (ORB) Middleware Service
Object Request Broker Middleware service goes beyond Message-Based Middleware by connecting the applications at a higher level than at the data element level. ORBs connect at the business logic level by using defined standards and connecting objects, such as customers, accounts and transactions.
The ORB service approach works best when a firm establishes an entirely new architecture and acquires either several new applications or builds applications internally. |
