Dynamic Canonical Data Model: An Architecture Proposal for the External and Data Loose Coupling for the Integration of Software Units

Abstract

Integrating third-party and legacy systems has become a critical necessity for companies, driven by the need to exchange information with various entities such as banks, suppliers, customers, and partners. Ensuring data integrity, keeping integrations up-to-date, reducing transaction risks, and preventing data loss are all vital aspects of this complex task. Achieving success in this endeavor, which involves both technological and business challenges, necessitates the implementation of a well-suited architecture. This article introduces an architecture known as the Dynamic Canonical Data Model through Agnostic Messages. The proposal addresses the integration of loosely coupled software units, mainly when dealing with internal and external data integration. To illustrate the architecture’s components, a case study from the Mexican Logistics Company Paquetexpress is presented. This organization manages integrations across several platforms, including SalesForce and Oracle ERP, with clients like Amazon, Mercado Libre, Grainger, and Afull. Each of these incurs costs ranging from USD 30,000 to USD 36,000, with consultants from firms such as Quanam, K&F, TSOL, and TekSi playing a crucial role in their execution. This consumes much time, making maintenance costs considerably high when clients request data transmission or type changes, particularly when utilizing tools like Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) or Oracle Service Bus (OSB). The article provides insights into the architecture’s design and implementation in a real-world scenario within the delivery company. The proposed architecture significantly reduces integration and maintenance times and costs while maximizing scalability and encouraging the reuse of components. The source code for this implementation has been registered in the National Registry of Copyrights in Mexico.