Middleware

In computing, middleware consists of software agents acting as an intermediary between different application components. It is used most often to support complex, distributed application. The software agents involved may be one or many.

The ObjectWeb consortium gives the following [http://middleware.objectweb.org/ definition] of middleware: In a distributed computing system, middleware is defined as the software layer that lies between the operating system and the applications on each site of the system.

Middleware is now used to describe database management systems, web servers, application servers, content management systems, and similar tools that support the application development and delivery process. Middleware is especially integral to modern information based on XML, SOAP, Web services, and service-oriented architecture.

Middleware is the enabling technology of Enterprise application integration.

In addition to the existing vendors updating their wares to address the newly expanded vision, vendors such as Mercator, Vitria, and webMethods were specifically founded to provide World Wide Web-oriented middleware tools. Groups such as the Apache Software Foundation and the ObjectWeb consortium encourage the development of open source middleware.

The term middleware is sometimes considered a buzzword.

= See also =

*Game_engine#Middleware *Data Distribution Service (DDS)

= Middleware Products and Vendors =

*[http://www.jboss.com/ JBoss - Professional Open-Source Java Middleware] *[http://www.prismtech.com/section-item.aspsid4=&sid3=&sid2=10&sid=18&id=175 PrismTech OpenFusion CORBA Middleware] *[http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wmq/ IBM Websphere MQ] *[http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/ Microsoft BizTalk Server] *[http://www.oracle.com/products/middleware/index.html Oracle Fusion Middleware] *[http://www.kapowtech.com/solutions_applicationintegration.htm RoboSuite by Kapow Technologies] *[http://www.coridan.com/ Coridan - an Open-Source solution]

= External links =

*[http://radio.weblogs.com/0126951/2005/07/30.html#a194 Origin of the term middleware ] *[http://knowledgebase.aegisdrm.com/knowledgebase_middleware_drm.htm Digital Rights Management Middleware] *[http://www.middleware-jmsmessaging.org Middleware Messaging Resource] *[http://www.maffeis.com/publications.html Middleware Research Publications] *[http://middleware.internet2.edu/ Internet2 Middleware Initiative] *[http://www.objectweb.org/ ObjectWeb: Open Source Middleware] *[http://www.visualtron.com/ VisualGSM: SMS Gateway and WAP Push Gateway Middleware] *[http://www.sybase.com/ Sybase - Information management and software integration company mobilizing information from the data center to the point of action. Find solutions from web services to wireless applications to linux applications.]