are still maturing and evolving, and configuration for the IIC's unique environment is likely more complicated than an "install and go" approach. Vendors must remain as an integral part of supporting the systems integrator with the latest and greatest perspectives on their product. Minimize integration points. Integration is the hardest and most complex aspect of OSS deployment. APIs are the roots of much of the complexity since some packages lack APIs and others have immature APIs. Regardless, all vendors have changing APIs, and version compatibility among the various layers must be managed. In addition, package configuration and business processes are dependent upon the integration and must be aligned. Trade-offs exist in determining the level of integration required. On one hand, integration enables flow-through, minimizes manual handoffs, and can help achieve competitive differentiation. On the other hand, integration is risky, expensive and difficult to maintain. Each integration point should be evaluated to determine the priorities for automation and the expected cost or benefit. Chapter 5 The Enterprise OSS Platform Now that we have looked at the business models, processes, systems and strategic considerations, we can start to ask some detailed questions about our OSS platform. Since we are approaching this from a best-of-breed selection point-of-view, we must be careful in evaluating applications and application vendors. There are numerous considerations, from the functionality of the application and how well it integrates with others to evaluating a particular vendor's partners. Applications range from "out-of-the-box" products to "do- it-yourself" toolkits and frameworks. There are numerous questions to ask about the vendor's background and long-term viability, as well as the vendor's track record for delivering and supporting its product. OSS VENDORS In Chapter 2, we looked at the range of OSS functions and how they interrelate. As we have discussed, most OSS vendors specialize in the functionality the