What is Middleware? An Overview of Different Types of Middleware

If you are even a bit familiar with the IT and software development process, then you must know that any hardware and software are designed separately. While working on a project, a team doesn’t necessarily build both of these elements together. However, for smooth workflow and efficient digital processes, organizations want hardware and software to work together. This is a significant factor to attain the desired final results when startups and businesses use programs to meet their objectives.

Hence, comes in middleware as a perfect answer to link the latest applications to older systems. Every enterprise software development company relies on firmware and middleware to deliver seamless user functionality that meets their expectations. Although middleware holds an important place in the whole development process, it is often an overlooked factor in the layer of the architecture. Often when experts adopt the middleware test approach, they struggle to find an efficient strategy and technique that can drive enhanced results.

Here is an article to help you understand Middleware better and know more about types of middleware. Take a look:

What Is Middleware?

Every device has two levels, an operating system which is a low-level software with the main roles is to manage all the resources of the device and control its basic functions. And the second one is applications that run on top of the operating system. The aim is to expand the functions of the device beyond what the operating system offers. So, middleware refers to the software that works behind the schemes and allows two-level of communication. It is in the middle of an operating system and the application, permitting data management for apps by working as a hidden translation layer. Honestly, the term is quite vague as it is more of a link between two separate applications.

It is a widely used term for QA software testing services where professionals use middleware as plumbing because it connects data between applications. You can call it a ‘software glue’ as it brings together different software to enable them to work together. Let’s take an example. Middleware connects Windows 10 and an office productivity suite and contributes to different processes, applications, and software components to allow them to exchange information either on the same devices or across multiple devices.

To understand middleware better, it is important to get acquainted with different types of middleware. We have listed major ones below for your reference:

Transaction Processing (TP) Middleware

The primary role of this type of middleware is to reinforce the functions of electronic transactions in a branched background. Transaction Processing (TP) Middleware achieves the same by controlling transaction apps, pushing database updates that are about the transaction, and enforcing business rules and logic of the transaction. One of the most popular examples of TP is Transaction Processing Monitors which have been around for over 30 years now.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Middleware

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Middleware is a protocol without any specifications about network details. It is a client-server interaction used by a program to request a service from a different program that is located on another remote computer system. RPC makes it possible for application functionality to be distributed across multiple platforms. It is also used to execute synchronous data transfers between applications and systems where both client and server have to be online at the time of communication.

Database Middleware

Database middleware is a widely used and the most common middleware that allows direct access and interaction with databases. Popular among software developers and professionals, it acts as a mechanism to request information from the database that is either hosted locally or remotely. A perfect example of database middleware is the SQL database software.

Message Oriented Middleware (MOM)

Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) is a software infrastructure that supports the sending and receiving of messages over distributed applications. It is a popular choice of middleware that makes it less complicated to use applications that are spread over various platforms. It also simplifies the creation of software applications that include various operating systems and network protocols. Moreover, MOM has a queuing mechanism to enable the interaction between server and clients metachronously when the target node is busy or slow. As a result, the chances of a message getting replaced is reduced. An example of MOM is email systems.

Conclusion

Today, the business environment has become extremely dynamic. Thus, organizations have to integrate older or already existing applications and transform them into enterprise-wide information systems. This will allow newer applications to synchronize with older and legacy apps. Middleware establishes the foundation for these different applications to work together while eliminating the need for updates which can be quite costly.

It is a one-stop solution for businesses to deliver enhanced and better products to the market and that too a lot faster.