In most cases the client system itself does not communicate with the Luminate Online Web Services directly. Instead, a separate middleware application typically sits between the two systems. The middleware is responsible for extracting records from the client system, transforming the records into web service messages, and submitting the messages to Luminate Online. The middleware is also responsible for receiving the response to each message and transforming it into a useful format for updating the client system.

Middleware applications come in two distinct flavors:

1. A dedicated connector developed specifically for managing the interaction between Luminate Online Web Services and your particular donor database. Connectors must be implemented by a developer using a technology such as Java or .NET.
2. A generic integration tool that allows non-developers to define the synchronization process using a visual interface, without writing any code.