Maria H. Blake
- Jan 27, 2022
- 4 min read

What Magic Middleware Ability Can Empower Your Business?

A Few Things About Middleware: Retrospective

Since the topic of middleware is always in the public eye, we all know for sure what it is. But why not brush up on knowledge?

What Is Middleware?

Following the US CSRC Glossary, it’s “software that aggregates and filters data collected by RFID readers and possibly passes the information to an enterprise subsystem database.”

In plain language, this is a software layer whose task is to connect the various components and ensure their high-quality integration. Often, middleware serves as a sort of buffer. It prevents the failure of vital legacy systems by taking on the burden of processing all incoming data.

Use Case Example

A striking example of such "self-sacrifice" is the order management system that we recently developed for our retail partner. Our engineers created this middleware to reduce the load on legacy ERP. In practice, OMS can handle up to 10,000 customer orders per day. It makes it much easier for the ERP, which consequently just receives approved order data.

How Does Middleware Work?

Let's take a look at this using the IoT ecosystem as an example.

Imagine that you are a developer that constructs smart facilities. You have dozens of objects. All of them should be controlled. To ensure it, you will probably choose the IoT path.

You will buy several thousand different sensors, create a web application for centralized control, and even handle the challenge of IoT platform development. Everything looks great.

But what if your sensors have limited functionality? It happens that devices are only storage for incoming information, but they cannot share it with the IoT platform on their own. In this case, you need middleware. In this segment, it is represented by IoT gateways from global vendors, like SAP or IBM.

These gateways are intermediate between sensors and the IoT system. It helps them to combine completely different sensors. Consequently, due to middleware, the IoT system works as one mechanism.

Core Middleware Advantages

Among the above benefits, middleware still has something to surprise you. Due to its wide functionality and application, the technology significantly supports corporate software viability. So what else is middleware capable of?

Accurate parallel-run migration

Agree, transferring data from legacy software to newborn one in a migration project is the

most arduous stage. Here middleware allows connecting these two systems. It helps to

preserve information and speed up the process.

Increasing the chances of development project success

Following the recent CHAOS Report, 31% of software development projects are successful, while the rest, 69% are challenged or failed. One of the reasons for such sad statistics is mistakes in product architecture. Using middleware is an opportunity to reduce a burden on weak systems and build working connections between components. Considering middleware in architecture creation enables to avoid difficulties and ensures seamless integration between a new product and existing software.

Hybrid architecture support

During the digital transformation process, companies use hybrid architecture. Some processes are already regulated by new systems, while the rest by the legacy ones. Making them work in unison is challenging. Here middleware can perform two of the above tasks: ensure connection and support outdated systems under high load conditions.

Digital transformation (DX) engine

Middleware makes it easy to migrate and supports complex architectures. That's why it can easily be called a DX driver. The technology helps companies transform their digital base faster. It increases the level of competition and the eagerness to keep up with the perpetual race.

Reducing development costs

We usually forget about middleware reusability. Its appropriate usage allows businesses to cut spending resources for software development and vendors - to get more with a minimum effort.

Middleware Reusability: Who Can Benefit From It?

For companies

Large market players сan get the most of this advantage. Since they manage affiliated companies worldwide, it often becomes necessary to duplicate middleware and implement it in every company. Imagine how many resources management would have to spend on it!

However, businesses have a profitable solution. They can use low code tools like the XME.fast code platform to create multi-tenant middleware. It means engineers will be able to duplicate one product an unlimited number of times. Customization is enough to tailor the middleware functionality to each subsidiary's realities.

By the way, the prospects do not end there. An enterprise can expand revenue streams by selling such middleware as a service to its competitors. Win-win.

For vendors

For software suppliers, reusability also means income. Recently, we made two customers in one domain happier with one middleware. Regardless of peculiarities, enterprises in the same business segment have the same headache. It allows the vendor to spend resources on one custom product development and reuse the code base for the creation of a similar one in a tight schedule.

The Bottom Line

Businesses strive to get digital solutions faster and reduce development operating costs simultaneously. Moreover, we can notice XaaS products selling popularity, which means that companies are looking for ways of implementing this idea.

Middleware is a versatile tool to address these issues. That is why the hype around it will not disappear for at least the next 4 years. Following Markets and Markets prediction, IoT middleware market size will double from 2020 to 2025.

The XME.fast code platform is a convenient base for creating reusable middleware. Contact our specialists to receive a detailed guide on working with the environment and advice on how to develop middleware in a tight schedule.