Most large organisations have a wide variety of incompatible computing systems.
Incompatible systems may have been obtained through mergers and acquisitions or through a policy of deploying best of breed solutions. It is usually not feasible to scrap all the existing data systems so a large part of IT work is in systems integration. This usually allows data to be displayed and updated in a consistent way, regardless of which system is holding the data. The Internet has provided a new impetus towards systems integration, to maximise the benefits of conducting business electronically. Papers on the CD provide guidance on the criteria for selecting a systems integration solution that will handle the requirements of an e-business.