1. A method comprising: receiving a first data set from a first external system, wherein the first external system is configured to use a first character set to encode the first data set, store the first data set as encoded in the first character set, and supply the first data set for conversion and storage in a common store receiving second data set from a second external system, wherein the second data set is related to the first data set the second external system is configured to use a second character set to encode the second data set, store the second data set as encoded in the second character set, and supply the second data set for conversion and storage in the common store, and the first external system and the second external system are mutually incompatible by virtue of the first and second character sets being mutually incompatible; converting the first data set encoded in the first character set into a converted first data set encoded in a third character set, wherein the third character set is a superset of the first character set and the second character set, and the first, second, and third character sets are different from one another; converting the second data set encoded in the second character set into a converted second data set encoded in the third character set; integrating the converted first data set and the converted second data set into a third data set, wherein the integrating comprises discarding redundant information; and facilitating access to contents of the first data set and the second data set by storing the third data set in the common store.
1. A method comprising: receiving a first data set from a first external system, wherein the first external system is configured to use a first character set to encode the first data set, store the first data set as encoded in the first character set, and supply the first data set for conversion and storage in a common store receiving second data set from a second external system, wherein the second data set is related to the first data set the second external system is configured to use a second character set to encode the second data set, store the second data set as encoded in the second character set, and supply the second data set for conversion and storage in the common store, and the first external system and the second external system are mutually incompatible by virtue of the first and second character sets being mutually incompatible; converting the first data set encoded in the first character set into a converted first data set encoded in a third character set, wherein the third character set is a superset of the first character set and the second character set, and the first, second, and third character sets are different from one another; converting the second data set encoded in the second character set into a converted second data set encoded in the third character set; integrating the converted first data set and the converted second data set into a third data set, wherein the integrating comprises discarding redundant information; and facilitating access to contents of the first data set and the second data set by storing the third data set in the common store. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: using the first set of data and the third set of data to effect a business process.