Selecting the right message broker for the job is a daunting task for middleware vendors, new and old, who are moving into the world of message brokers. Message broker vendors are over-hyping the features and functions of their products, and buyers have few data points to compare and contrast available products, because the technology is so new. What is more, other middleware products, such as application servers and distributed objects, are laying claim to the EAI space and are promoting their products as being mutually exclusive to message brokers. The fact is that each solves very different problems, and each has its place within EAI.

To understand what to look for in a message broker, you have to comprehend the components and features that this new technology has to offer. By doing this you’re able to establish your own set of criteria for your specific problem. Things to look at include messaging, adapters, user interface, platform support, transformation, routing, rules processing, scalability, security and management.

Since message brokers use messaging systems to move information between systems, the message transport layer that the message broker supports or provides is of great interest. Most message brokers support some sort of asynchronous transport layer, either proprietary or open. For instance, many message brokers can leverage IBM’s MQSeries message queuing software, or more open systems such as the Java Messaging Service (JMS) from JavaSoft, or the Object Messaging System (OMS) from the Object Management Group. Some message brokers offer the ability to select any number of messaging systems, even to mix and match messaging systems to meet the requirements of the problem domain.

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