Abstract
The idea of a real-time enterprise is gaining momentum very quickly. Although implementing a real-time selection is a complex and significant undertaking, the ROI is intuitively obvious and quantitatively verifiable. Managers must be provided an environment that allows them to make quicker, more informed business decisions to achieve their objectives. Managing companies with a mix of real-time and historical information is the best of both worlds. This can be accom-plished through an evolutionary process of integration and accommodation. Existing system investments can be leveraged, ultimately allowing applications to provide the ROI they promised.