The WebSphere business integration system consists of the following components:
A WebSphere Business Integration Adapter, called simply an adapter, is a set of software modules that communicate with an integration broker and with applications or technologies to perform tasks such as executing application logic and exchanging data.
The task of an integration broker is to integrate data among heterogeneous applications. WebSphere Business Integration Express for Item Synchronization uses InterChange Server Express.
In the WebSphere business integration system, information sent or received between components is packaged in the form of a business object, as follows:
Both application-specific business objects and generic objects are modeled during design-time as business object definitions, which are stored in the business integration system. At run time, data populates a business object instance (often called a "business object") that is based on the proper definition, and is moved through the business integration system as dictated by its routing and business logic rules.