Connecting customers with Internet-enabled customer relationship management (CRM) systems is the post-Y2K holy grail, but in many information environments, such systems are not integrated with ERP applications. Enterprise application integration (EAI) is the emerging remedy of choice, but what are the strategic alternatives?.

Competitive forces in "Internet time" often lead to the deployment of point solutions of limited lifetime. But with the framework described here, your organization can potentially take advantage of e-commerce, enterprise information portals, and data warehouses while ensuring longevity as well as integration.