Integration has been, and will continue to be, one of the success indicators of any project. Reengineering, on the other hand, keeps a smooth transition process constantly running. This book addresses the problem of how to apply schema integration techniques for information systems, including system migration and reengineering.

The book begins by defining all of the relevant terms, and presenting a history of information systems. It then covers its topic, from both the beginner’s perspective and that of the experienced user. It is well structured, so information is easy to find. The author sets up the subject matter of each chapter, which enhances the easy-reading style of the book.

A summary and a brief bibliography follow the text in each chapter. Distributing this information throughout the book seems much more useful than the typical practice of placing the bibliography at the end of the book. The text is further supported by a 14-page subject index. The index is thorough, but there are no section headings, so readers may need to search a bit to find what they want. The book comes with a CD containing solutions to problems presented at the end of each chapter.

There are nine chapters in the book. The earlier chapters of the book (chapters 1 through 4) provide an overview of information systems reengineering and integration, setting the stage. The later chapters (chapters 5 through 8) get right into the subject, presenting a comprehensive approach to reengineering and integration, with the help of many useful examples and case studies. Chapter 9 summarizes the methodologies presented in the book. Because of this structured approach, skipping earlier chapters could leave readers thoroughly confused. I recommend reading the book from front to back, exactly as the author intended.

In general, the book’s use of case studies really does get to the heart of the subject matter. It has real applicability to real problems, and it demonstrates how it all comes down to the final analysis. This book shows readers how to drive the costs out of integration projects, and how to build new applications without reinventing the wheel.

I would recommend this book to someone performing the function of database administrator, or doing database design or another database-related task, or to anyone interested in the database area. They would find this book complementary, and would probably benefit from reading it. However, I am not sure if this book is suitable as an undergraduate-level textbook; it lacks many details, which may make it confusing for inexperienced readers.