Middleware
Middleware is defined as the software layer that lies between the operating system and the applications on each part of a distributed computing environment. The University of Wisconsin is now building enterprise-wide information systems by integrating previously independent systems, together with new applications. This integration process has to deal with legacy applications and disparate systems, which the Middleware group brings together to form cohesive end to end systems.
An increasing number of systems are composed of a collection of various devices interconnected by a network, where each individual device performs a function that involves both local interaction with the real world and remote interaction with other devices of the system. Middleware technology bridges the gap between the end user and backend systems. Middleware masks the heterogeneity of the various hardware components, operating systems and communication protocols. Additionally, Middleware provides uniform, standard, high-level interfaces to the application developers and integrators, so that applications can be easily composed, reused, ported, and made to interoperate with each other.
One of the key guiding principles of DoIT’s Middleware group is to provide a set of common services to perform various general purpose functions, in order to avoid duplicating efforts and to facilitate collaboration between applications. An example of this is the newly released WebISO application, which allows various departments on campus to perform authentication through a single centralized infrastructure. A core guiding principal of DoIT Middleware is to make application development easier, by providing common programming structure, and by hiding low-level programming details.
The function of Middleware is to mediate interaction between the parts of an application, or between applications. Therefore architectural issues play a central role in middleware design. Besides architectural aspects, the main challenges of middleware design are those pertaining to various aspects of distributed systems. Any middleware system relies on a communication layer and Operating Systems, which allow the different pieces to interoperate. DoIT’s Middleware group works closely with other groups in the organization when designing and administering applications and systems.
We invite you to read about our major projects and areas of responsibility, outlined below.