Integrating Applications

A system, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• system memory;
• a plurality of applications;
• and
• one or more computer storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions representing an application integration framework, the application integration framework configured to integrate applications within the plurality of applications with one another, the application integration framework including an entry hop, one or more intermediate hops, and one or more exit hops, wherein the entry hop is configured to:
• receive data, a unique signature, and an indication of a destination application from an output interface of an application, the application and the destination application included in the plurality of applications;
• refer to a mapping that maps signatures to designated services;
• determine that the unique signature maps to a one or more designated services through reference to the mapping, the one or more designated services to transform the message is a desired manner to integrate the application with the destination application;
• determine a route through the one or more intermediate hops and an exit hop to configure the data for processing at the destination application, the one or more intermediate hops to provide the one or more designated services, the exit hop selected from among the one or more exit hops;
• wherein each intermediary hop is configured to:
• identify any of the one or more designated services offered at the intermediary hop;
• for any identified designated services:
• invoke the designated service;
• and
• execute the designated service to process the data into processed data in the manner defined for the service;
• determine a next module in the route that is to receive the processed data;
• and
• send the processed data to a next module indicated in the route;
• and
• wherein the exit hop is configured to:
• format the processed data for an input interface of the destination application;
• and
• send the formatted processed data to the input interface.

A processor implemented method for use at a computer system, the computer system including system memory, the computer system included in an application message processing framework, the application message processing framework providing message processing functionality for messages being exchanged between a plurality of applications to facilitate integration of the plurality of applications with one another, the application processing framework including one or more hops, the one or more hops including one or more of:

• an entry hop, one or more intermediate hops, and an exit hop, each hop included in the one or more hops a method for reconfiguring the message processing functionality provided by the application processing framework, the method comprising:
• accessing a message processing functionality change that is to be applied to the application message processing framework to change the message processing functionality available through the application message processing framework;
• and
• incorporating the message processing functionality change into the application message processing framework without altering other message processing functionality available through the application message processing framework by performing at least one of:
• adding a new intermediary hop to the application message processing framework and removing an existing intermediary hop from the application message processing framework.