When to use Java and Message Broker?

Question

I am a developer at my office where SOA development is at its peaks. We use IBM MQ, IBM Message Broker and Java/J2EE Technologies.

I have been currently put into project where Message Broker is used to develop a middleware which interacts between two applications. I am not quite sure if Message Broker is the right option for such kind of a project since Java can do the same peice of work in a much efficient way, which led me to search Internet for advantages in using the two.

I read in different sites taht Message Broker is used to transform,route and enhance messages, this can very well be done using java efficiently. So this led me to this question "When to use Java and When to use Message Broker for development?" It would be great if someone can help me with the advantages of using the two.

-RDJ

Answer 1

As I understand you are trying to, for example, implement the functionality in core java instead of going with a ready Message Broker and similar SOA related technologies. My suggestion is - do not reinvent the wheel. The point is, even if you try to do so, eventually you will face the same technical issues and lead to a similar solution. Why not focus on business logic instead of trying to develop an equivalent of something which is already there which is probably more tested and trusted.

Answer 2

Message brokers enable e.g. operations people to monitor all integrations in one place. Also, if a data format changes it can be trivial to determine which integrations are affected by the change.

Each individual integration could probably be implemented in Java (or any other language, for that matter), but you'd end up but with a bunch of point-to-point integrations, which is one of the problems message brokers try to solve.

If you were to design a generalized transformation/routing solution in Java, you would be designing a message broker :) Which would be interesting, but not really necessary, seeing as plenty of commercial and open source message brokers are already available.