Data integration is an important part of the data collection and organization process for all successful companies. While this was once done manually, we no longer have to spend our valuable time integrating and organizing massive amounts of data. This is where data integration tools come in. These tools perform these tedious tasks, allowing employees to focus on analyzing and applying the data to help with business growth. Keep reading to find out more about different data integration tools.

What is Data Integration

Simply put, data integration is a process where data is brought from different sources to a single destination. Once it reaches this single destination, it can be used to gather insight. Essentially once this is done, it is ready to be put to use for business analysis and reporting. This consolidation of data allows for a more consistent level of access to each piece of data. It provides access across the entire spectrum of subjects and structures. Overall, data integration is one of the main components in the data management process that takes place in every major company.

Why do we Need It?

Modern data integration was originally produced as a solution to the rapid adoption of the relational database. A better method of integration was necessary as data teams needed to avoid manual input and integration of data. It was important to avoid this to keep the process simplified and effective.

Understanding Data Integration Tools

Before we start talking about data integration tools, it is important to note that all integration products and systems are using the same underlying technology which is application programming interfaces or APIs. API experienced rapid growth in the 2010s with an endless number of companies investing in it and viewing it as a valuable interface. API is a tool that makes a website’s data more easily digestible to a computer. Simplifying data is always a good outcome as it can make it easier to work with for humans and computers alike.

Types of Tools

On-Premise Data Integration Tools: This type of integration tool is primarily used for integrating data from different local or on-premise data sources. They are most commonly installed on a local network or a private cloud alongside native connectors that can help with batch loading from multiple sources of data.

Cloud-Based Data Integration Tools: This method is used when the desired destination of the data is a cloud-based data warehouse. These platforms are typically referred to as iPaaS.

Open-Source Data Integration Tools: This method allows for the user to have complete control over their in-house data. They are also ideal for avoiding proprietary software development solutions that can often come at a high price point.

Proprietary Data Integration Tools: While they do come at a higher cost, businesses chose to use these tools because they are built to cater to specifics.

Factors to Consider

When selecting a data integration tool for your business, you will want to take a few things into consideration. The larger your business, the more complicated your data integration will be. Make sure that you are selecting a tool that is going to be able to accommodate the volume of data that your company has. If you plan to further expand your business, make sure your data integration tools are prepared to handle that extra growth. If your data integration tools cannot handle the scale of your business then the usability of your data will decrease and your growth could suffer.

Also consider if you plan to analyze your data in real time. Not all data integration tools are able to support this need. Some data integration tools have a lag up to a few days before you can view the data. If this is something that is important for your company, make sure that you confirm that the program that you choose supports real time data.

Lastly you will also want to consider the format you want your data to be in. If you want your employees to be able to perform meaningful analysis on the data, then it needs to be easily accessible to them. Your data integration tools should be able to present the data in a way that is familiar to your company, and they should be able to do this across the board.  

Choosing a Program

When you do go to select a data integration tool for your business, it is important to look into the dozens of programs that are on the market. Each of them will have different advantages and disadvantages so it is important to be discerning. Once you have decided which type of tool you want to use, start researching programs in that category to gather more information. If you make the right choice then you will see a positive impact on your sales, marketing and business analytics teams in no time.