Integration Platform Technologies: Siebel eBusiness Application Integration Volume ll > Integration Objects >

Difference Between Integration Objects and Integration Object Instances

Understanding the difference between integration objects and integration object instances is important, especially in regard to the way they are discussed in this chapter.

An integration object, in the context of Siebel eAI, is metadata; that is, it is a generalized representation or model of a particular set of data. It is a schema of a particular thing.

An integration object instance is also referred to as a Siebel Message object.

An integration object instance is actual data organized in the format or structure of the integration object. Figure 1 illustrates a simple example of an integration object and an integration object instance, using partial data.

Figure 1.  Integration Object and Integration Object Instance

Any discussion of integration objects in this book will include clarifying terms to help make the distinction—for example, metadata or Siebel instance.