The 17th INTERNATIONAL DAAAM SYMPOSIUM "Intelligent Manufacturing & Automation: Focus on Mechatronics & Robotics" 8-11th November 2006 SOME ASPECTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM INTEGRATION/MIGRATION Pogarcic, I.; Pap, K. & Ziljak-Vujic, J. Abstract: This research deals with the significance of the information system integration phase and the detection of some critical factors and circumstances that may significantly slow down or stop the process of modification/integration. Special emphasis is put on data migration that had been used in previous systems and their consolidation into a new common base. The results are based on the study of cause and consequence of such activities in the mentioned phase such as, for instance, the need to apply new information technologies, necessary alterations in the information system and its environment, alterations in the business system. The need for strategic planning of this phase is also considered in the range of the information system development strategic planning. Key words: system integration, data migration, information system modification, information system life cycle, information system strategic development 1. INTRODUCTION With strategic planning of the information system development or with planning of its modification it is necessary to foresee the possibilities of its integration with other information systems. Here it is assumed that there are risky activities and processes that may be generated in such circumstances. In the strategic plan,for instance, the data collection phase requires careful preparation and planning. This is often a phase with a high risk level and unpredictable influence on the required time period and executors, and therefore on the budget necessary for realization. Creating the so-called service information in the database(most often relational) that usually covers static data - various masters and similar is common for all parts of the information system. For example, data coverage during the modification process as a generic activity was not a problem in the „physical sense“ as much as it was its adaptation to new conditions. When an information system begins to use concrete application solutions, alterations of such solutions are possible, sometimes even frequent, having a corrective character and also the quality of being permanent, i.e. they last as long as there is a need for the information system. On the other hand, each business system will tend to keep its competitive position in the market and will try to keep its technical importance. Indirectly this means that the purchase of new equipment and new technological solutions will be reflected onto both business and information processes as well. 2. MIGRATION OR INTEGRATION? The question arises as to what may provoke the information system migration/integration,when and why.Let us first define integration as: „a combination of two or more information systems that allow joint operation and joint information generation“. Of course, this definition is reduced to the information systems level and it may be applied to business systems if we exchange the term information for the term meaning business. We are stressing this point because, of course, an information system all by itself is pointless. During its life cycle a business system may alter its technical and technological settings due to different reasons. Two reasons are the most prominent ones: • Alterations in business operation • Alterations in hardware and/or software (Morris, 2006) Alterations in business operations may be provoked by internal reorganization, like for instance by significant extension of the range of products, its altering and alterations in carrying out business operations. Business operation alterations may also appear as a consequence of integration with other business systems, sale/purchase of a business system (Barton, 2003). The integration process is started by, such systems that have existed until then in different circumstances. Figure 1 shows two most frequently evidenced possibilities where systems exist that might be candidates for integration. Theoretically there is a border possibility where an information (sub) system exists completely on its own. a) Mediated interfacing b) Direct interfacing Fig. 1. A possible relation between two systems Taking into consideration the given circumstances a business system is faced with planning requirements for all levels beginning from the operation level and continuing up to the strategical level. In integration/migration practice there have been system combinations as shown in Table 1. For the purpose of explanation, let us determine the information system as a set of information processes {pxi} that service processes in a certain system Sx. Of course, the given process set is in Interface Sx Sy pyx pxy Sx Sy pyx pxy