Centre for Enablement / C4E - A centre for enablement or C4E is a modern, federated approach which enables delivery at scale. It provides guidance and advice, governance and assurance for systems Integration. It is also responsible for supporting the Business As Usual processes and supporting the Integration Environments. It delivers business value by ensuring that programmes/projects are directed and guided in the implementation of consistent, appropriate, timely and cost effective integration solutions.
Component - A unit of work / task that takes an input and produces an output and on error produces an exception e.g. VETRO component which could be validator, enricher, transformer, router or operate.
Connector - A type of component that calls an external service to perform an operation e.g. a database connector.
Experience API / XAPI - This layer is designed to provide a tailored experience for end users by exposing data and services in a way that is optimised for specific applications or user interfaces. The front door.
Flow configuration - The configuration to define how a request is processed through a set of tasks that could be performed by VETRO components.
Framework A software framework is a reusable foundation of code, tools, and conventions that provides a structured way to build and organize applications, often controlling the overall flow while developers plug in their own functionality.
Harmonised Data Model (HDM) - A standardized way of structuring and defining data so that information from different sources can be combined, compared, and used consistently. The goal is to make data from multiple systems "speak the same language". It is a shared blueprint for data that allows diverse datasets to be combined and interpreted consistently.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) - The practice of defining and managing infrastructure—such as servers, networks, databases, and cloud resources—using code rather than manual configuration. Common IaC tools include Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Bicep, and Pulumi.
Integration - Allows data flows between heterogeneous systems. A software integration is the process of connecting two or more software systems so they can exchange data and work together as part of a larger business process. Integrations enable applications that were built independently to share information automatically, reducing manual effort and improving consistency. They can be implemented through APIs, messaging systems, file transfers, databases, or integration platforms such as iPaaS solutions e.g. Integrating a LIMS system with an ERP to share cost codes for charging.
Integration Hub - A cloud based platform that ensures the right information is in the right place at the right time to make the right decisions. A platform that enables integrations between on prem and cloud systems. It is fully supported and centrally governed. It is assembled rather than coded. It has the correct tooling with frameworks for error handling, logging, auditing and monitoring.
IPAAS / Integration Platform as a Service - A cloud-based platform that helps different applications, systems, and data sources connect and exchange information without requiring custom point-to-point integrations.
Interface - A defined contract that specifies what functions or data a component must expose.
Layer - Logical group of components that collectively perform a task e.g. experience layer for an integration that would accept request from consumer and respond.
Library / Reusable modules - A collection of pre-written code that developers can reuse to perform specific tasks without having to write the functionality from scratch. Libraries provide reusable functions, classes, or modules that can be incorporated into an application to speed up development, improve consistency, and reduce maintenance effort.
Orchestrator - The executor of a workflow which is defined using a flow configuration.
Process API / PAPI - This layer orchestrates the business logic and processes, acting as a mediator between the experience API and the system API(s). It handles the integration of various services and data sources. The brain.
Serverless - A cloud computing model to build and run applications without managing servers. Instead, the cloud provider automatically provisions, scales, and manages the infrastructure. You just deploy code (often as functions, e.g., AWS Lambda, Azure Functions) or configure managed services, and they run in response to events.
Service - A software product that provides a specialised function which should have a well defined specification e.g. a printing service.
System API / SAPI - This layer interacts directly with the underlying systems, such as databases or external services, providing a standardised interface for the process API to access data and functionality. The connector. It returns data in a harmonised data model (HDM) format.
Utility - A small reusable helper tool to perform a specific task e.g. logger.
VETRO - A workflow or process pattern used in event-driven and message-driven architectures, especially when building integrations or APIs. Made up of Validation, Enrichment, Transformation, Route and Operation.