Integration projects succeed due to the completeness of thought in the requirements gathering and design phases. The information gathered from those phases influence the request-for-information/request-for-proposal development phase of the project, which, in turn, affects software choice. Poor Decisions can lead to path dependence, stranded costs and project failure.

 This paper presents “Eight Things to Consider” as you evaluate your existing infrastructure, current and future needs, and prepare to evaluate potential solutions. Remember to think about these questions across the lifecycle of your projects: design, deployment and maintenance. Don’t just consider the first development phase; rather think about how easily your infrastructure will support your goals going forward. After all, poor infrastructure choices can put your entire enterprise architecture at risk.