Today the complexity of modern computing applications has reached such proportions that it is becoming impossible to master all the new developments unless you apply rigorous structuring and methodologies.

In this domain, the "old" mainframe type approaches, such as the "pure object" oriented approach, have shown a certain number of limitations.

In the object approach, there is in particular a huge difficulty in managing the dependencies in the object models of large applications, while inversely, the big problem with mainframe applications is their monolithic aspect. The component approach, while not totally new, is now enjoying a rapid expansion. This is mainly due to three factors:

• a more rigorous formalisation of the approach
• a greater ease in mastering the development of complex information systems
• the arrival in force of the new technologies such as web services, J2EE and .Net, which integrate fundamentally the notion of components

The two most successful component oriented approaches were formulated by Peter Herzum & Oliver Simms (in "Business Component Factory") on the one hand, and Paul Allen ( in "Realizing eBusiness with Components") on the other. These two methodological approaches has numerous characteristics in common, the main one being the strong integration of the notion of the component throughout the software development life-cycle (from the needs analysis through to delivery to the user). In using one or other or a mix of these approaches, you will get a proven structured methodological framework.

Placed between the monolithic mainframe approach and the explosion of dependencies provoked by the pure object approach, the component approach makes breaking down complex applications (such as information systems) into independent and controllable autonomous components very much easier. The contribution of the notion of a component interface is, from this point of view, truly fundamental because it allows real separation between the use of a component and its implementation.

Finally, the introduction en masse of the new technologies brings a great simplification to the implementation of this approach. Today, thanks notably to web services, it is possible to adopt a radical component approach that allows definition of component interfaces in a fashion that is truly independent of the technology in which the component will be developed (J2EE, .Net, CORBA, ... and why not COBOL if you use specially adapted tools such as those offered by Microfocus ).

SOFTEAM, with its wide experience in the profession, can help you solve these problems through its Consulting, Training, Development and Products Services