Read Charlie Gifford's article Whats Interoperability and Why Is It Important?
What Are Interoperability and Integration?
Interoperability and integration are defined by ISO Technical Committee 184, Subcommittee 5 (ISO/TC 184/SC 5), Architecture, Communications and Integration Frameworks as follows:
Interoperability
- Two or more entities (devices, equipment, machines, people, processes, applications, software units, systems, enterprises) can exchange items (information, material, energy, control, assets, ideas) in order to perform their respective tasks.
- Items exchanged according to a set of rules and mechanisms implemented by an interface in each entity.
- Inter-operating entities have a common understanding of the properties of the items exchanged.
Integration
- Two or more component entities (each with a distinct structure, behavior and boundary) form a system that exhibits its own distinct structure, behavior, and boundary.
- A task is perceived to be accomplished by a system and not by component entities performing individual tasks.
- Component entities cooperate, collaborate, coordinate and exchange items as needed to perform a systems task.
- Interoperability among component entities is a pre-requisite to system integration.
Why Should End Users Join IICI?
For end users, IICI key benefits include:
- Public list of certified products and system integrators
- Single unbiased point of compliance testing and certification
- IICI certified products save lifecycle integration time & costs
- Reduced costs and time in product selection and deployment
- Improved system reliability and responsiveness assured by interoperable products out of the box to known high degree
- Provides a Voice of the Customer and Voice of the Market
- A voice in IICI and into form of adaptive manufacturing for global economic growth
