Middleware

Middleware is a relatively new addition to the computing landscape. It gained popularity in the 1980s as a solution to the problem of how to link new applications to older legacy systems. Middleware is connectivity software that consists of a set of enabling services that functions as a conversion or translation layer. The term middleware is used to describe a broad array of tools and data that try to integrate disparate systems and technologies. Middleware is integral to modern information technology based on XML, SOAP, Web services, and service-oriented architecture. Middleware is computer software that connects software components or applications for a variety of purposes. Today, there is a diverse group of products that offer packaged middleware solutions . Open Source has made signficant inroads into middleware deployments.