Cloud computing provides companies with many capabilities to meet their business needs but can also mean that a hybrid architecture is created that includes on-premise systems and the cloud. Integration is needed to bridge the gap between the on-premise existing systems and the new cloud applications, platform, and infrastructure.

IBM® WebSphere® Cast Iron® meets the challenge of integrating cloud applications with on-premise systems, cloud applications-to-cloud applications, and on-premise to on-premise applications. It contains a graphical development environment that provides built-in connectivity to many cloud and on-premise applications and reusable solution templates that can be downloaded from a solution repository. The integration solutions that are created can then run on either an on-premise integration appliance or the multi-tenant WebSphere Cast Iron Live cloud service.

This IBM Redbooks® publication is intended for application integrators, integration designers, and administrators evaluating or already using IBM WebSphere Cast Iron. Executives, leaders, and architects who are looking for a way to integrate cloud applications with their on-premise applications are also shown how WebSphere Cast Iron can help to resolve their integration challenges.

The book helps you gain an understanding of Cast Iron and explains how to integrate cloud and on-premise applications quickly and simply. It gives a detailed introduction to the development tool and the administration interfaces and how they are used. It also discusses security, high availability, and re-usability. The book also includes three detailed scenarios covering real-world implementations of a Cast Iron Integration Solution.

Chapter 1. Introduction and technical overview

Chapter 2. Installing and setting up WebSphere Cast Iron Cloud Integration

Chapter 3. Developing and unit testing with WebSphere Cast Iron Studio

Chapter 4. Management and monitoring

Chapter 5. Security

Chapter 6. Availability and scalability planning

Chapter 7. Reusability with Template Integration Processes (TIPs)

Chapter 8. Building custom plugin connectors

Chapter 9. Common error handlers

Chapter 10. Scenario: Bidirectional account synchronization

Chapter 11. Scenario: CRM to cloud calendar services

Chapter 12. Scenario: Data enrichment and aggregation

Appendix A. Additional material