.NET connectivity

The .NET Framework is a set of Microsoft software components that provides the tools and libraries to connect people, systems and services via the web. There are a number of .NET applications and services that interoperate to provide connectivity, compatibility, efficiency, and easy access of information.

The difficulty with .NET connectivity

Connecting systems, exchanging data and arranging processes across multiple disparate systems are challenging and time-consuming tasks. Often, an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) is employed to manage the communication and interactions of applications and services. Though an ESB makes it easy for applications composed in different programming languages to interoperate, there are not many .NET Web Services compatible ESBs. Most ESBs tend to be focused on Java interoperability, resulting in a need for Java developers or retraining in order to create the connectivity a business needs from scratch.

To overcome this challenge, Microsoft offers the Biztalk integration broker to help companies integrate and manage business processes. Biztalk is not an actual ESB, but rather a middleware that can be configured to perform functions of an ESB. It is a heavyweight and complex solution, lacking agility and integration with all of Microsoft’s offerings. Also, because it runs exclusively on a Microsoft platform, it limits the heterogeneous applications and services that it can employ. Moreover, with Microsoft’s lack of focus and investment on Biztalk, the future of the Biztalk Server looks bleak.

Without a powerful ESB, organizations often turn to point-to-point integration which is difficult, fragile, and complex. Updates require experienced developers to manually make changes to code, leaving the infrastructure vulnerable to errors. Additionally, infrastructure complexity increases as the number of applications, systems, and services residing on-premises and in the cloud increases, creating a tangled web of connections. This tangled system becomes fragile, as the slightest mistakes can create complications.

.NET connectivity with Mule as an ESB

MuleSoft supports .NET compatibility through its lightweight language agnostic Enterprise Service Bus. Mule as an ESB provides native language support to .NET services and applications. Transports, which provide functionality and carry information from app to app within Mules ESB are powered by connectors. By leveraging a library of Anypoint™ Connectors, businesses can easily create repeatable integration solutions to synchronize data across multiple platforms. Moreover, with Mule as an ESB, securing a web service through an HTTP web server, authentication tokens in the SOAP header, or via WS-Security is can be done in a few simple configuration steps.

Mule Enterprise Service Bus serves as the middleware component to create interoperability to a number of .NET web services:

Microsoft SQL

MS SQL Server is a database management system that functions to store and retrieve data regardless of where it may reside. Mule as an ESB can create connectivity to the database through its JDBC (Java Database vity) Transport. JDBC is essentially an API, enabling users to connect databases, and spreadsheets and perform CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations on database records. The JDBC Transport allows organizations to send and receive messages with a database using the JDBC protocol. Using the transport is painless, simply place the endpoint within the Mule flow. To learn more, explore our JDBC documentation.

MSMQ

Microsoft Message Queuing enables individual applications running at different time frames to communicate across distinct networks and systems. It provides temporary storage for messages, allowing them to be sent or received as conditions permit. This queuing system works even if the network is temporarily offline. MuleSoft offers numerous Anypoint connectors to create connectivity. The connectors can be utilized as messaging protocol, allowing applications running on disparate servers to communicate. Anypoint connectors allows for communication across networks and systems that may not always be connected; a useful tool for mission-critical processes.

MS dynamics

MS Dynamics is a family of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Client Relationship Management (CRM) software that provides finance, analytics, accounting, sales, and marketing tools. Integrating MS Dynamics provides enterprises agility, flexibility, and visibility. MuleSoft offers an Anypoint Connector to create compatibility between MS Dynamics and business systems such as accounting, marketing, sales, customer service, and retail to enable data migration, synchronization of backend systems, and seamless connectivity to other Microsoft offerings. The connector solves migration and integration challenges between systems and data sources, on-premises and in the cloud.

SharePoint

SharePoint is a Content Management System (CMS) that provides tools for document management, collaboration, portals, and social networks. Employing Mule as an ESB and utilizing the SharePoint Connector allows business to integrate SharePoint with other MS offerings, creating seamless connectivity throughout the enterprise.

Active directory

Active Directory stores, organizes, and provides access to information for Windows networks. It provides secure authentication and authorization of users and services, as well as location transparency, object data, rich query, and high availability. Because Active Directory makes use of LDAP, businesses can utilize Mule ESB to enable LDAP authentication. Moreover, with Security Manager, organizations can also configure security managers to allow authentication.

Mule as an ESB for .NET application connectivity

Mule as an ESB offers a platform to create seamless connectivity on-premises or in the cloud for .NET applications. Employ Mule as an ESB for .NET connectivity to create repeatable integrations to streamline business processes and make data available across the enterprise. With an easy to use graphical design environment, Anypoint Studio has businesses up and running quickly. DataWeave, a graphical interface, works with Studio to simplify data mapping and transformations. A large library of Anypoint Connectors and out-of-the-box support for enterprise integration patterns, transports, and protocols, make creating connectivity with Mule ESB is easy. Moreover, with a large community of developers, the learning curve is greatly reduced.

Mule Enterprise Services Bus provides businesses the tools to create .NET connectivity to allow for seamless integration throughout the enterprise. With Mule as an ESB, businesses can efficiently access information and create connectivity to disparate systems.

Learn more about what Mule Enterprise Service Bus has to offer or contact us today.

Interested in learning how to unlock the value of your .NET architecture? Get started by downloading our .NET whitepaper.