Integration

Integration as a strategic foundation

Applications change. Processes change. AI puts new demands on integration. An integration layer connects systems, data and processes, so new applications, automation and AI agents do not have to start from scratch every time. Harmony builds and manages integration layers with Frends and MuleSoft, tailored to your IT landscape.

A colleague looks at an architecture diagram of an application landscape on his screen, with the API calls beside it.

In use at

Who it is for

We build for organisations that

  • Work with many systems that each keep their own version of the truth.
  • Have integrations that were added one at a time and that nobody has an overview of any more.
  • Want to make data from core systems available to apps, portals and AI.
  • Have to meet their sector's standards for data exchange and logging.
  • Want to open up a legacy system without replacing it.
  • Have processes that run across several organisations.

What we build

What an integration layer carries

  • Two developers at one screen: one points at something while the other types.

    APIs and services

    Build reusable APIs and services on top of your core systems, so data and functionality become available to other applications. That way, not every new application needs its own integration with the same systems.

    Discuss your APIs
  • An operations lead and a colleague lean over a laptop together in a team room, with a framed football shirt on the green wall.

    Process orchestration

    Control processes that run across several applications and systems, from one place. Every step is tracked and you see where a process gets stuck, without staff having to check different systems to find out.

    Orchestrate processes
  • An engineer checks the cables in a network cabinet in an office corridor, with a laptop beside him on the floor.

    System integrations

    Connect ERP, CRM, HR and sector systems, even when they use different technology, data models or standards. Information flows through automatically and does not have to be copied between systems by hand.

    Connect systems
  • A production manager with a tablet laughs at a colleague's joke next to the bottling line of a brewery.

    Data flows and events

    Let changes in one system take effect immediately in other applications and processes. Stock levels, statuses and case files stay up to date without waiting for overnight batches or manual updates.

    Let data flow
  • A driver hands a scanner to a planner at the loading dock, with an open lorry behind him.

    Partner integration

    Connect your systems with those of partners, suppliers and government bodies, in the formats and standards the chain uses. Data is exchanged automatically, without separate files, uploads or manual processing.

    Connect partners
  • A purchasing officer works on her laptop, with a tray of packing slips beside her.

    File integration

    Automate the exchange and processing of files between systems and organisations. Even when a supplier or partner still works with CSV, XML or other files instead of modern APIs.

    Automate files
  • A service desk agent with a headset reviews a proposal on his screen while a colleague looks on.

    AI and agents

    Give AI systems and agents controlled access to the data, APIs and processes they need. That way they can not only retrieve information but also take actions across different systems.

    Put AI to work

Systems and data

  • ERP
  • CRM
  • SaaS
  • Legacy
  • Data sources

Runs onCloudHybridOn-premises

SecurityGovernanceMonitoring

Integration platform

  • APIs
  • Workflows
  • Events
  • AI tools

Applications and users

  • Applications
  • Portals
  • Partners
  • Data products
  • AI agents
On the left, the systems and data sources an organisation runs. In the middle, the integration platform, which provides APIs, workflows, events and AI tools under security, governance and monitoring, and runs in the cloud, hybrid or on-premises. On the right, the applications, portals, partners, data products and AI agents that connect to it.

How we build

Integrate once. Reuse everywhere.

An integration platform brings data exchange, APIs and process integrations together in one central layer. That means fewer dependencies and a foundation on which new applications and AI solutions are built faster.

We work with Frends and MuleSoft and advise which platform fits your landscape.

For organisations that want to deliver value quickly with a modern approach to integration.

  • Microsoft and .NET landscapes
  • Fast implementations
  • Manageable operational complexity
  • European data sovereignty
  • Strong fit for energy and utilities
Explore Frends

For organisations where integration is a business-critical capability.

  • API-first architectures
  • Enterprise governance
  • Reusable integrations and APIs
  • Complex business-critical landscapes
  • Strong fit for healthcare and enterprise
Explore MuleSoft

Our approach

From a first scan to an integration landscape that keeps running

We start with what you need, not with a platform choice. We map systems, data and integrations and decide which approach fits. Then we build step by step on the platform that fits your landscape: MuleSoft or Frends.

Let us take a look

  1. Quick scan

    We map your applications, existing integrations and main information flows. You get a concrete picture of what could be connected better, where reuse is possible and which integration approach fits.

  2. Proof of Concept

    We build a first integration in a secure test environment. You see the chosen technology working with a recognisable use case, and technical choices can be tested before we build more widely.

  3. Architecture

    We decide how applications, data and integrations come together and lay the foundation for the integration platform. We take account of what is already in place and of cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments. The result is an architecture we can build on straight away.

  4. Implementation

    We set up the integration platform and build the integrations. Environments, user management, CI/CD, development and testing are part of the same approach. After approval, integrations go live and are handed over to support.

  5. Management and further development

    After go-live, we monitor the platform and the integrations proactively. When something goes wrong, our service desk investigates the cause, fixes it and liaises with other suppliers where needed. We also keep looking at where integrations can be smarter or where new integrations are needed.

Where we use it

Integration in healthcare, energy and logistics

Harmony has been delivering integrations at the largest organisations in the Benelux for years. Below is what that achieves in each sector.

Another sector? No problem. We connect systems in more sectors than these three.

Talk to an expert
Nurse updating data at a wall-mounted screen in a hospital corridor, while a colleague walks past.Technician with a tablet at a transformer in a medium-voltage substation.Planner with a handheld scanner in a distribution centre, talking to a colleague.IT for healthcare

Healthcare, care and cure

Healthcare runs on systems that never learned to understand each other, while the standards for data exchange keep getting stricter. This is what an integration layer solves there.

  • Fewer repeated questions, a complete picture sooner

    Data from the electronic client or patient record, laboratory systems and pharmacy comes together, so nobody has to piece the story together again.

  • Demonstrable compliance with exchange standards

    Messaging in HL7 and FHIR, with logging to NEN 7513, so you can show afterwards what was exchanged.

  • Fewer misunderstandings about appointments

    Rosters, availability and appointments stay in sync between the source system and the channels where clients and staff look.

  • Claims without manual work

    Registrations flow through to claims and billing, and rejections come back to the place where they can be resolved.

Energy and utilities

The rules are being rewritten right now, on systems that have been in place for decades. This is what an integration layer solves there.

  • Accurate invoices, less correction work

    Quarter-hourly consumption flows without gaps to billing, the customer portal and the market parties.

  • Out on time, without rework

    Messages to grid operators and suppliers go out in the right format and within the deadline, via EDSN in the Netherlands and Atrias in Belgium.

  • The office sees operations, and operations notice nothing

    SCADA and metering systems feed ERP and CRM, without affecting the availability of operations.

  • Keeps running when the connection drops

    The runtime runs within Europe, on-premises where required, and keeps running when the connection to the outside drops.

Logistics and supply chain partners

Supply chain partners each bring their own system and their own format. This is what an integration layer solves there.

  • Every partner in their own format, without extra work

    Orders, packing slips and invoices come in as EDIFACT, GS1 or through an API, and all land in the same place.

  • Fewer lost sales thanks to one view of stock

    Sales channels, WMS and ERP see the same thing, even when something changes in three places at once.

  • Fewer calls asking where the shipment is

    Status updates from carriers flow through to the order, customer service and the customer, without anyone opening a portal.

  • See it before it stalls

    A faltering message flow is visible before a lorry or a dock is left waiting.

Cases

Where we built this before

A Kongsberg X digital cutting table in the Kongsberg PCS customer experience centre in Ghent, with visitors in the background.

Modernising legacy systems with MuleSoft API integration

  • A consolidated API ecosystem based on MuleSoft reduced complexity
  • Better monitoring and diagnostics for the internal IT team
  • A streamlined customer experience through the new Customer Portal with seamless authentication
“De modulaire MuleSoft-architectuur vermijdt spaghettistructuren en creëert een onderhoudbaar platform dat toekomstbestendig is.”
Piet BoeykensSenior Business Analyst at Kongsberg PCS
Read the case

Frequently asked questions

What clients ask us

What is an integration layer?

An integration layer connects your applications, data and processes through reusable APIs and integrations. New applications, automations and AI agents can connect to it without having to integrate directly with every underlying system each time.

When do you need an integration platform?

An integration platform becomes worthwhile as soon as several applications use the same data or processes and the number of point-to-point integrations starts to grow. It makes integrations reusable, and you avoid having to connect every new application directly to different systems all over again.

Frends or MuleSoft: which integration platform is right for us?

That depends on your IT landscape, your integration challenges and your requirements for management and deployment. Frends and MuleSoft both support hybrid deployment models, but they differ in architecture and platform approach. Harmony works with both and advises which platform fits your situation best. Frends supports PaaS, self-hosted and hybrid deployments, among others; MuleSoft supports hybrid deployments with on-premises execution and central management through Anypoint Platform, among others.

Can an integration platform run both in the cloud and on-premises?

Yes. Both Frends and MuleSoft support scenarios in which integrations run within your own infrastructure and are managed centrally. That also makes hybrid landscapes with cloud and on-premises systems possible.

Can an integration platform run air-gapped, without an internet connection?

Yes. Both Frends and MuleSoft can run entirely within your own infrastructure, including the management of the platform, with no connection to the internet. With MuleSoft, that is done with Anypoint Platform Private Cloud Edition. With Frends, it is done by installing the control plane on-premises as well. This matters most for organisations with strict requirements for security or data sovereignty, such as in defence, healthcare and critical infrastructure.

Can you build on an existing integration platform?

Yes. We first map the existing architecture, integrations and platform configuration. Then we decide where we can build on what is there and what needs to be addressed first.

Why is an integration layer important for AI agents?

AI agents need access to business data and systems to retrieve information and take actions. With an integration layer, existing APIs and integrations can be reused for this, so not every underlying system has to be opened up separately again.

What happens after go-live?

Harmony manages the integration platform and the integrations after go-live. Our service desk monitors proactively 24/7, handles incidents and liaises with other suppliers where needed. New integrations and improvements can then be built out from there.

Talk to an expert

A half-hour conversation is usually enough to tell whether Frends or MuleSoft suits you, and what a first project would cost.

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