Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of best-of-breed application systems solutions? What are the advantages and disadvantages of integrated application systems solutions?

Answer 1

BEST OF BREED APPLICATION SYSTEM SOLUTIONS

Best of breed system is the best system in its referenced niche or category. To fulfill varying requirements, organizations often use best of breed systems from separate vendors. However, maintaining multiple systems provides little cross connectivity, which creates maintenance and integration challenges.

Best of breed systems are best applied to one or a few functions, facilitating system maintenance. However, as an organization expands and requirements multiply, best of breed systems may not be able to handle new requirements, forcing the addition of another system. In this type of scenario, the best course of action is to employ an integrated system that can handle most requirements, allowing best of breed systems to handle items requiring focused performance and specialization.

Best of breed system advantages are as follows:

Updates and building blocks may be rolled out without affecting other systems.

Because the function of a system is geared to a specific purpose, it is easier to update and able to quickly respond to market changes.

Specialized functions include more options and solutions and provide specific knowledge regarding specific functions.

Disadvantages are as follows:

Vendors of best of breed systems are often small organizations that do not understand the requirements of larger organizations.

Integration with other systems is a highly complex process.

Sharing data across different systems may be difficult.

Although it performs specialized functions better than an integrated system, this type of system is limited by its specialty area.

INTEGRATED APPLICATION SYSTEMS SOLUTION

This is a collection of software especially created to work on closely related programs. These are used in personal computers where the most commonly used and most similar programs are grouped together in one application in the form of a suite. One of the most well-known examples of an integrated software suite is Microsoft Office, which comprises programs used in an office environment.

Integrated software is also known as an integrated software package.

Industrial management software and databases fall into the category of integrated software, where the output from various programs are closely related and can be embedded into each other with similar environments. Computing has been revolutionized using integrated software due to the fact that software is interconnected with little or no chance of information error because files can be imported with no need for conversion and no clash of formats.

Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Office or Star Office are some examples of integrated software where the output of programs such as a spreadsheet or graphics program can be shared amongst applications.

An integrated package combines many different types of application together in one single package. This type of software normally offers facilities for word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics, presentation and communications.

Advantages of integrated application systems solution

It will share a common HCI (Human Computer Interface).

Can be cheaper than buying the software packages individually.

Mail merge can be carried out within the package.

Transfer data easily between packages eg copying a chart from spreadsheet into a word processing document.

More than one package can be open at the same time.

Dynamic linkage is possible.

Disadvantages of integrated application systems solutions

Their different applications have a limited number of features compared with individual application packages.

The framework will not necessarily make all the options available through that interface and to change other options one will need to customise the framework: (A process that is not always well documented and made harder when the framework is shared between several projects but the customised version is only to be used by one)